![]() German-born Newton, neé Neustädter, died as a result of a car accident in Los Angeles in 2004 when he was aged 84. Critics denounced him for reducing female sexuality to naked bodies and for voyeuristically exhibiting women's intimacy, but Newton always insisted that he adored women and that his photographs portrayed female power and strength. Woman into Man (left), which was shot for Vogue, in 1979, is a distinctive Newton picture mixing themes of power, sex and luxury Newton's book World Without Men was released after his death and had the picture Model in Fur with Bear on the coverīorn into a Jewish family in Berlin in 1920, Helmut Newton was a 'prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications', according to the New York Times.Ĭontroversy has routinely followed Newton's photography. In another shot, she and Lisa Taylor, a top model of the era, wrestle on the beach, with Lisa grabbing Jerry's hair as the pair show off their bodies in high-cut swimsuits.Ī portrait of Charlotte Rampling captures the photographer's frequent muse looking sultry in a close-up portrait, that shows off her distinctive bone structure and smouldering eyes. In Swimwear (Jerry Hall spitting) from 1978, the Texan model directs a jet of water at another model's breasts. Newton's work spanned decades but he made his most recognisable work with sado-masochistic undertones in the Seventies, when he photographed the biggest models of the day showcasing the top designers' clothes for top magazines, creating pictures that were erotic and subversive, with fetishistic subtexts.Īll-American beauty Jerry Hall was a regular subject, where her athletic physique fitted his aesthetic and preference for Amazonian beauties. He used his observations to compose a witty subversive shoot in which a model clad in a tuxedo jacket, black bra and stockings and suspenders sat astride a saddle on the back of an armchair Curator is Matthias Harder.In 1976, Newton shot Saddle II in Paris, inspired by the luxury products on display in Hermes that juxtaposed handbags, silk scarves and accessories with bridles and leather goods. A film Helmut by June (1995), by his wife June, is also part of the exposition. The prints at the exposition are from the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin. The nude photos are therefore not a form of eroticism but rather to symbolize emancipation and strength women who took of all layers to expose their powerful self. But above all, his aim was to portray women as powerful, independent and confident. In many of his photos he plays around with androgyn images, and the constant interplay of revelation and hiding. By use of mirrors and television screens he created a visual illusion. While visiting the exhibition you will be intrigued by the way he captured his models in a suggestive, often ambiguous way. ![]() Newton was also a popular portrait photographer and captured many politicians and celebrities on print. His fashion photography was one of the most influential works in history. In his work powerful women, sensuality and desire are the main themes. It’s not by chance that he was friends with fashion designers Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld who were keen on the interplay of sexes and new ways to portray women. It was during those times that there was a shift in women’s emancipation and liberated sexual morals. His work is renowned for portraying powerful and seductive women in high heels, fashion, and nudity, that in fact advocated feminism.Īlthough Helmut Newton started his career in the 1950s, it was not until the 70s for his actual breakthrough when he got noted for his distinctive fashion photography for French Vogue. The exhibition consists of over 200 photos, varying from famous iconic prints to never before seen photos. This is a must-see! Helmut Newton is a legendary, and iconic photographer, whose work shaped and influenced the art of photography since the early 1950s. Yesterday, I had the privilege to attend the press preview. ![]() From June 17 till September 4, 2016, the photography museum Foam in Amsterdam is hosting the exhibition Helmut Newton: a retrospective. ![]()
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