Shikeith Cathey

Shikeith Cathey is an award-winning photographer and visual artist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his powerful and thought-provoking images that explore themes of identity, race, gender, and sexuality.

Cathey was born in Philadelphia in 1988 and grew up in the city's Germantown neighborhood. He attended the University of the Arts where he earned a BFA in Photography. After graduating, he began to pursue photography full-time and quickly gained recognition for his work. His photographs have been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times Magazine, The Fader, and Vogue Italia.

In addition to his commercial work, Cathey has also created several personal projects that explore themes of identity and representation. His series "The Black Male Gaze" examines how black men are portrayed in media and popular culture. His series "The Queer Gaze" explores the experiences of queer people of color through intimate portraits.

Cathey has received numerous awards for his work including a Lucie Foundation Scholarship Award (2018), a Magnum Foundation Fellowship (2019), and a John Gutmann Photography Fellowship (2020). He has also been named one of PDN's 30 Emerging Photographers to Watch (2020).

Cathey continues to push boundaries with his photography by creating images that challenge traditional notions of beauty and representation. He hopes to inspire others to think critically about how we view ourselves and each other through the lens of photography.