John Waters

(American, born 1946)

John Waters is an American artist best known for his satirical and raunchy movies. Also a visual artist, Waters’ photography, sculpture, and installations pieces humorously recontextualize art and popular culture. Born on April 22, 1946 in Baltimore, MD, Waters briefly attended NYU for film but was kicked out for what he claims was the “first ever marijuana scandal on a university campus.” Waters then returned to Baltimore in 1966 where he began collaborating on films with his longtime friend and muse Glenn Milstead, also known as Divine. He gained a cult following in the 1970s with his transgressive films Pink Flamingos (1972) and Female Trouble (1974), as well as the box office hit Hairspray (1988). “Hairspray is the only really devious movie I ever made,” the filmmaker stated. “The musical based on it is now being performed in practically every high school in America – and nobody seems to notice it’s a show with two men singing a love song to each other that also encourages white teen girls to date black guys.” In the early 1990s Waters began creating photography based work and installations. The artist’s 2015 commencement speech for the Rhode Island School of Design was turned into the book Make Trouble. His works are in the collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the New Museum in New York, among others. Waters lives and works in Baltimore, MD.

John Waters Artworks

John Waters (129 results)
Visit Marfa, 2003, 2003

John Waters

Visit Marfa, 2003, 2003

Sale Date: November 5, 2016

Auction Closed

Visual Chemistry - Queen of Hearts, 1988

John Waters

Visual Chemistry - Queen of Hearts, 1988

Sale Date: February 25, 2016

Auction Closed

‘Outtakes’, 2011

John Waters

‘Outtakes’, 2011

Sale Date: November 20, 2015

Auction Closed

Visual Chemistry - Business Men, 1988

John Waters

Visual Chemistry - Business Men, 1988

Sale Date: October 21, 2015

Auction Closed

The Wedding Party, 1988

John Waters

The Wedding Party, 1988

Sale Date: August 26, 2015

Auction Closed

The Wedding Party

John Waters

The Wedding Party

Sale Date: May 28, 2015

Auction Closed

Self-portrait, 1994

John Waters

Self-portrait, 1994

Sale Date: March 28, 2015

Auction Closed

Artistically Incorrect, 2006

John Waters

Artistically Incorrect, 2006

Sale Date: March 26, 2015

Auction Closed

Outtakes (3 works), 2011

John Waters

Outtakes (3 works), 2011

Sale Date: February 26, 2015

Auction Closed

Hollywood Smile Train, 2009

John Waters

Hollywood Smile Train, 2009

Sale Date: March 4, 2015

Auction Closed

Visual Chemistry - Gas Mask, 1988

John Waters

Visual Chemistry - Gas Mask, 1988

Sale Date: November 20, 2014

Auction Closed

Bad Trip, 2006

John Waters

Bad Trip, 2006

Sale Date: December 8, 2013

Auction Closed

7 Marys, 1995

John Waters

7 Marys, 1995

Sale Date: December 17, 2013

Auction Closed

Bad Trip, 2006

John Waters

Bad Trip, 2006

Sale Date: June 30, 2013

Auction Closed

12 Assholes and a Dirty Foot (13 works in 1..., 1996

John Waters

12 Assholes and a Dirty Foot (13 works in 1..., 1996

Sale Date: June 14, 2013

Auction Closed

Movie Star Junkie (8 works), 1997

John Waters

Movie Star Junkie (8 works), 1997

Sale Date: March 23, 2013

Auction Closed

Grace Kelly's Elbows (8 works), 1998

John Waters

Grace Kelly's Elbows (8 works), 1998

Sale Date: March 23, 2013

Auction Closed

Shut Up, 2001

John Waters

Shut Up, 2001

Sale Date: June 10, 2012

Auction Closed

Shut Up, 2001

John Waters

Shut Up, 2001

Sale Date: April 8, 2012

Auction Closed

Visual chemistry - Angel, 1988

John Waters

Visual chemistry - Angel, 1988

Sale Date: January 26, 2012

Auction Closed

The wedding party, 1988

John Waters

The wedding party, 1988

Sale Date: December 15, 2011

Auction Closed

Manson copies Richard Gere (2 works), 2000

John Waters

Manson copies Richard Gere (2 works), 2000

Sale Date: September 23, 2011

Auction Closed

Clarabelle (2 works), 2000

John Waters

Clarabelle (2 works), 2000

Sale Date: September 23, 2011

Auction Closed

Visual chemistry - Industrie, 1988

John Waters

Visual chemistry - Industrie, 1988

Sale Date: April 28, 2011

Auction Closed