Welcome
to the first in our 3 part series on Helmut Newton – one of the most provocative and controversial photographers of the last century.
Welcome
to the first in our 3 part series on Helmut Newton – one of the most provocative and controversial photographers of the last century.
Please note: Helmut Newton's work is often suggestive and sometimes sexually explicit. Please look away from your screens now if that kind of thing offends you - The Editors'
Please note: Helmut Newton's work is often suggestive and sometimes sexually explicit. Please look away from your screens now if that kind of thing offends you - The Editors'
Background
Born into a Jewish family in Germany in 1920, Helmut Newton became known as the “King of Kink”.
Guided by a passion for the strength and allure of the female form and an unquenchable taste for the risqué, Newton’s work reflected the sexual revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s.
He photographed some of the most beautiful women in the world in poses that emphasized their sexuality, often with an accompanying sense of danger and violence.
Background
Born into a Jewish family in Germany in 1920, Helmut Newton became known as the “King of Kink”.
Guided by a passion for the strength and allure of the female form and an unquenchable taste for the risqué, Newton’s work reflected the sexual revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s.
He photographed some of the most beautiful women in the world in poses that emphasized their sexuality, often with an accompanying sense of danger and violence.
Babes in a Rowboat
Helmut Newton’s ‘Babes in a Rowboat’ upends the Impressionist tradition of civilised boating to create a playful, mischievous scene of fun.
One of his best-known themes, Newton’s consistently turned to the outdoors as a provocative juxtaposition for the nudity of his images. Here, the combination of water and lingerie charges the image with a light-hearted eroticism.
Newton’s interest in the surreal photography of 1930’s comes the fore in ‘Babes in a Rowboat’ as he manipulates the composition to lead us to question whether the scantily clad ladies are simply a figment of the rower’s imagination.
Babes in a Rowboat
Helmut Newton’s ‘Babes in a Rowboat’ upends the Impressionist tradition of civilised boating to create a playful, mischievous scene of fun.
One of his best-known themes, Newton’s consistently turned to the outdoors as a provocative juxtaposition for the nudity of his images. Here, the combination of water and lingerie charges the image with a light-hearted eroticism.
Newton’s interest in the surreal photography of 1930’s comes the fore in ‘Babes in a Rowboat’ as he manipulates the composition to lead us to question whether the scantily clad ladies are simply a figment of the rower’s imagination.
His images, often in stark black and white, were calculated to shock. Bondage, sadomasochism, voyuerism, murder, pornography, prostitution: each was exploited and explored in his photos over the years.
His images, often in stark black and white, were calculated to shock. Bondage, sadomasochism, voyeurism, murder, pornography, prostitution: each was exploited and explored in his photos over the years.
Surprise
Taken on a beach in St Tropez, ‘Surprise’ encapsulates the conception of femininity that Helmut Newton sought to portray through his photography.
At once, both elegantly serene and sexually promiscuous, independent and an object of male gaze, Newton juxtaposes the quiet contemplation of the sitter with confrontational physicality of the woman approaching.
Newton’s femininity was equal parts sophisticated and unrestrained.
Surprise
Taken on a beach in St Tropez, ‘Surprise’ encapsulates the conception of femininity that Helmut Newton sought to portray through his photography.
At once, both elegantly serene and sexually promiscuous, independent and an object of male gaze, Newton juxtaposes the quiet contemplation of the sitter with confrontational physicality of the woman approaching.
Newton’s femininity was equal parts sophisticated and unrestrained.
Rue Aubriot
Along with the photographers like Herb Ritts and Richard Avedon, Newton moved fashion photography from a staid reflection of the current year’s styles to a more artful, glamorous presentation of mood and story.
Indeed Newton probably did more to promote the work of the designer Yves St Laurent than anyone else. In one of his most iconic shots entitled ‘Rue Aubriot’, actress Vibeke Knudsen stands alone in a lamp lit Parisian street.
Styled in a deliberately androgynous outfit made up of Yves Saint Laurent’s cult Le Smoking dinner jacket, pin-striped wide leg formal trousers and white tie, the photography was to immortalise the Yves Saint Laurent aesthetic that took over the 70’s.
Rue Aubriot
Along with the photographers like Herb Ritts and Richard Avedon, Newton moved fashion photography from a staid reflection of the current year’s styles to a more artful, glamorous presentation of mood and story. Indeed Newton probably did more to promote the work of the designer Yves St Laurent than anyone else. In one of his most iconic shots entitled ‘Rue Aubriot’, actress Vibeke Knudsen stands alone in a lamp lit Parisian street. Styled in a deliberately androgynous outfit made up of Yves Saint Laurent’s cult Le Smoking dinner jacket, pin-striped wide leg formal trousers and white tie, the photography was to immortalise the Yves Saint Laurent aesthetic that took over the 70’s.
Beach Exercise
‘Beach Exercise’ (1975) is one of the iconic images from Helmut Newton’s career.
Taken on a Miami beach in the mid-day heat, supermodels Jerry Hall and Lisa Taylor wrestle with each other in arrestingly dynamic compositions. With legs and arms crossing, the two show off their bodies in high-cut swimsuits.
Newton favoured this high-energy photography that captured the Amazonian athletic physique of Hall and they were to forge a lasting relationship through the 70’s.
‘Beach Exercise’ was shot for Vogue, with swimsuits by Rudi Gernreich, and is part of a larger series of fighting scenes that includes Hall and Taylor.
Tune in next week to see part two in our series.
Beach Exercise
‘Beach Exercise’ (1975) is one of the iconic images from Helmut Newton’s career.
Taken on a Miami beach in the mid-day heat, supermodels Jerry Hall and Lisa Taylor wrestle with each other in arrestingly dynamic compositions. With legs and arms crossing, the two show off their bodies in high-cut swimsuits.
Newton favoured this high-energy photography that captured the Amazonian athletic physique of Hall and they were to forge a lasting relationship through the 70’s.
‘Beach Exercise’ was shot for Vogue, with swimsuits by Rudi Gernreich, and is part of a larger series of fighting scenes that includes Hall and Taylor.
Tune in next week to see part two in our series.
To see which exclusive Helmut Newton prints you can purchase click here
For details of our current Helmut Newton exhibition, click here
To see which exclusive Helmut Newton prints you can purchase click here
For details of our current Helmut Newton exhibition, click here