Helmut Newton: A Tribute
Artists – especially photographers – don't agree on many things. But you'd be hard-pressed to find one who doesn't recognize Helmut Newton as an icon. He has been called the most popular and the most copied photographer of the twentieth century.
Newton was born in Berlin in 1920 to a well-to-do Jewish family which fled Germany for Singapore, then Australia. There, he set up his first photo studio with his wife, June, who photographed under the name Alice Springs. His photographic style quickly crystallized around two themes: glamour and sexual decadence. He earned the nicknames “King of Kink” and “The 35mm Marquis de Sade.” A complex man, he was known for being cold and hard, but his tender, loving marriage lasted fifty-five years, until his death in an car accident outside L.A.'s Chateau Marmont last week.
We felt that the best way to shed light on Newton's enormous talent was to show some of his most iconic pictures and to share the thoughts of the Nerve photographers whom he has influenced. Photography won't be precisely the same without him, but it will continue to display his profound influence. — the Nerve staff |
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Commentarium (7 Comments)
beautiful series of images and tributes ... i never really appreciated his work before now.
Wow, I gotta learn more about this guy.
This piece is so well done. I am not used to seeing this kind of material here. IAm glad that nerve decided to pay tribute to this wondreful artist.
I appreciate these photos all in one place, but I'd love to see dates on them to get a sense of the time the invididual pieces span.
This icon of a genius lived well and had more life stirring to fight a fully-equipped army than a young soldier in Iraq, today. While drenched in the pits of beauty he captured the moment with a story and a song. This octogenarian ignited more creativity than a student in his first years studies. Every day was one to be explored, shared and experienced. We are lucky to have these albums that remain to celebrate the brilliance of his career. He will be missed. A tragedy befitting an icon, I suppose. Good-bye captain of the Helm.
When opening up the page I thought... I know that name. Sorry to hear of his passing- but a lovely tribute. Man was an incredible photographer and a passionate individual. Some of the best art of the sort I've seen. Kudos-
Just finished reading the autobiography...a few days before his passsing...Read the NY Times review...They were clueless...couldn't connect the life with the image.
Screw them. He leaves us with a dynamic vision...An insight best understood as context.
Read the autobiograpy and understand his legacy.
He leaves his insight as a legacy.
I am very sorry...his work always was new...and honest.