The Helmut Newton exhibit at the Grand Palais is a must-see for fashionistas (unfortunately, not me!) and photography lovers (me!) alike. This is the first retrospective in France since his death in 2004.
There are more than 200 images on display (fashion, nudes, portraits), which all reveal Newton’s heightened power of sociological observation and humor. Through portraits and provocative, stylized scenes, Newton captured the beauty, aggression and eroticism of his world.
The highlight is a short documentary by his wife, June, that captures Newton’s essence. In it, Newton talks about how he approaches his work and the craft in general. His vision and passion are inspiring and are great reminders that we should all make our loves our work.
Autoportrait dans le studio d'Yva, 1936, Berlin
Helmut Newton was interested in photography since the age of 12. He began his career in Berlin, where he was born Helmut Neustädter. In 1938, Newton’s family was forced to flee Germany. His parents went to South America and Newton boarded a boat in Trieste, Italy that was bound for China. He ended up in Singapore, where he worked as a newspaper and portrait photographer before being interned by the British and sent to Australia, where he enlisted in the army. After the war, Newton set up a studio and worked on fashion and theatre photography before moving to London and Paris, where he worked for major fashion magazines. It was this time in Europe that launched him into superstardom. His work was daring and imaginative. The fashion world loved him.
The Grand Palais was constructed in 1897 in preparation for the Universal Exposition of 1900 (the World’s Fair), whose purpose was to celebrate achievements of the past century and accelerate developments into the next. The main space, inspired by London’s Crystal Palace, has an iron, steel and glass barrel-vaulted roof that was essential for large gatherings of people before electricity. The Grand Palais would house great artistic events.
Grand Palais, Newton, Paris, France
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