Artists! Help identifying B&W photographs of nudes with cow skulls!

The story: My wife and I were married in 96, and a friend of ours gave us two photographs. Now, this friend ran a print lab in Chicago and printed work for many well-known artists. The prints he gave us have no information on them, and our friend has moved on to bigger things, but we’ve always wondered who the artist was.

There are two prints, one of a man, the other, a woman. Both are shot from the waist up, both nude. What makes it interesting is that there are cow skulls positioned over their faces. In the case of the man, he is holding the skull by the horns, and his body is rising out of a hole in the corner of a room. For the woman, the skull seems to float over her face, and she is looking over her right shoulder.

If I had to guess, I would say they were done in the late 80’s or early 90’s, based on visits to the friends apartment and the work he was displaying.

Any help dopers could provide would be greatly appreciated!

Okay, just one bump, since it’s been a week.
Anyone?

Sounds kind of like Peter Witkin in a way, but it seems a little too mild for his style.

Yes, bit mild for Witkin, maybe Jan Saudek though he’s from the Chech Republic. Were b & W then hand coloured.

Well, I’ve looked up both artists, and you’re definitely on the right track, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be Witkin or Saudek. I’ll keep looking through Saudek’s work, as he seems stylistically closer to the works we have.

Thank you for two great leads, though!

I’m pretty sure it’s not Witkin or Saudek. I have seen these photos though, probably in an issue of Photo magazine in the late 80’s. (Probably the French edition of Photo, actually … . ) I’ll keep trying to wrack my brains.