Today I hasten to inform news to real photography connoisseurs. Iconic actresses and fashion models from Elizabeth Taylor and Catherine Deneuve to Linda Evangelista and Cynthia Crawford were in focus of the hero of the day. His photos were called the main instigators of iconic 60th and I‘ll bet, you have already guessed right, this is about Helmut Newton!
Helmut was born in a Jewish family in Berlin, in 1920. He began interested in photo from age of 12, which didn’t please his parents that much: «My dad used to tell to me, that I would die at the bottom of life, as I think only of girls and photos».
At his age of 14 behind his parents back he already worked, as an assistant to a photographer at one of the leading Berlin studios. And after several wanderings over the world, due to Nazis attacks on Jews, he found himself in Paris in the beginning of 60th, where he started working under the name “Sex sells” in nude genre with French VOGUE. «I fell in love with Paris from my first day. After a week I could already move blindfolded through the city, and a year after I ran out of money».
Many articles and even books have been written about almost scandalous (as yet half of photos is still inaccessible for general public) German photographer, however only few know that the Photography Museum, established by his fund, is located in the of Berlin’s centre. In October, 2003, several months prior to his death, Newton established his own fund -Helmut-Newton Fund (HNF) - the organization, dedicated to preservation and to representation of his own photographic works and his wife, June Newton’s works. The latter one produced a series of impressive photos in the beginning of 70th, under pseudonym Alice Springs.
HNF or the Photography museum astonishes by its architectural atmosphere of the world class: it is located in the building of the former Prussian officer casino in Berlin, Charlottenburg area (Western Berlin’s historical centre). After restructuring works, this magnificent building opened repeatedly for public on the 3rd June, 2004 with exhibitions «We and They» and «Sex and landscapes» and since that date approximately 1,5 million visitors have enjoyed the photo, displayed in the area of 1500m2.
« At times of our life each of us imitates someone, but later willy-nilly one should go his own way». Presently, the Newton’s working studio is recreated in his Photography museum and personal belongings such, as eye-glasses, magnifiers and, certainly, photo-cameras are presented. The museum’s second floor preserves second to none photos of all times, such as «Italians turn their heads» by Mario De Biasi, «Kind of Day in Milano» by Bruce Veber or Lillian Bassmann’s portraits.
Helmut-Newton Fund organizes exhibitions not only in Berlin, but also in other famous museums and institutions abroad such, as the Museum of Fine arts in Houston or in Budapest, Palazzo Reale in Milan etc.
