Diane Arbus (American, 1923 –1971) was a photographer and writer noted for her arresting black and white photographs of "deviant and marginal people, or people whose normality seems ugly or surreal”. Arbus was born in New York, and first ventured into photography with her husband, Allan Arbus (American, 1918–2013) after World War II, gaining considerable success as a pair in the world of fashion photography. Arbus later divorced her husband and continued to work independently. In the early 1960s, Arbus began producing compelling portraits of people on the outskirts of society, including clowns, exotic dancers, circus performers, and transvestites. Arbus also became known for her eerie photographs of children, intimate portraits of famous figures, and urban scenes. In 1971, Arbus committed suicide. The following year, the Museum of Modern Art held a retrospective of her work, and she was also selected as the first photographer to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale.