Showing posts with label photographers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photographers. Show all posts

10/08/25

Paul Jasmin & Todd Weaver @ Fahey / Klein Gallery, Los Angeles - "Fade to West" Exhibition

Fade to West
Paul Jasmin & Todd Weaver
Fahey / Klein Gallery, Los Angeles
Through September 13, 2025

Fade to West is a photographic exhibition that brings together the visionary work of Paul Jasmin and Todd Weaver—two artists who have made tangible the fleetingness of Los Angeles’s beauty and sunsets.

Though neither artist was born in California, both were drawn to a city as radiant and restless as them. Now deeply rooted in its culture, they embody its essence—capturing not only its landscapes and people, but its elusive atmosphere. The exhibition pairs Jasmin’s evocative portraits and cinematic vignettes with Weaver’s ethereal scenes of nature, offering a dual portrait of a place defined by light, youth, and transience.

Paul Jasmin helped define the visual language of Los Angeles, staging moments of youth and intimacy against the soft glow of the city’s ambient warmth. His photographs are imbued with compassion and quiet curiosity, revealing a version of the city that feels personal, suspended, and tenderly observed.

Todd Weaver, meanwhile, explores the edges of California—its windswept dunes, sunlit surf, and shifting horizons. Through analog processes and in-camera experimentation, his work transforms familiar vistas into one-of-a-kind impressions—each frame a meditation on movement, time, and atmosphere.

Together, Paul Jasmin and Todd Weaver render California not as an ideal or illusion, but as a living, breathing place—one that glows brightest in moments that never last.

Fade to West was developed in collaboration with Paul Jasmin prior to his death, and we are honored to present it as intended—celebrating his artistry and his enduring love for the city of Los Angeles.

PAUL JASMIN (1935–2025) was an American photographer, illustrator, and educator whose work distilled a precise and evocative vision of beauty. Born in Helena, Montana, Jasmin began his career as a painter and actor before turning to photography in the 1970s, encouraged by his friend Bruce Weber. Drawn to themes of youth, innocence, and sexuality, Jasmin created dreamlike tableaux that transport viewers into a world of seductive beauty and languid allure. Set largely in and around Los Angeles, his images explored the tension between aspiration and reality, reflecting a lifelong fascination with glamour, the American dream, and fleeting moments of becoming. His editorial and commercial work appeared in Vogue, GQ, W, Interview, V Man, Teen Vogue, Vogue Hommes, and in campaigns for APC, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, Nordstrom, and others. He published three monographs: Hollywood Cowboy (2002), Lost Angeles (2004), and California Dreaming (2010, Steidl/7L).

Paul Jasmin was also a dedicated teacher at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where he mentored generations of emerging artists with a quiet rigor and an unshakable belief in the power of imagination. Known affectionately as “Jazz” by his friends and students, he brought the same sensitivity and elegance to his teaching as he did to his images. Paul Jasmin passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on May 24, 2025, at the age of 90.

TODD WEAVER (b. 1970) is an American photographer recognized for his expressive use of color and intimate portraits of artists and musicians. His work is distinguished by a bold and exploratory approach to color, which brings emotional depth and vibrancy to his images. Todd Weaver began his career under the mentorship of established photographers including William Claxton, Ellen von Unwerth, Herb Ritts, Steven Klein, and Randee St. Nicholas. Developing his own distinctive style, he has created portraits of figures such as André 3000, Lita Albuquerque, Paz Lenchantin, Devendra Banhart, and Father John Misty, and collaborated with brands including Nike, Veuve Clicquot, and Cadillac. His first monograph, 36 (2018), features portraits taken with a vintage half-frame camera, emphasizing spontaneity and intimate moments.

More recently, Todd Weaver has focused on Southern California’s surf culture, creating atmospheric, analog portraits that explore the relationship between surfer and wave. Combining experimental film techniques with a strong compositional sensibility, Todd Weaver has participated in several group exhibitions and has been selected multiple times for the American Photography Annual. His work has also been included in two recent publications by Taschen.

FAHEY / KLEIN GALLERY
148 North La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Upcoming Exhibition @ Fahey/Klein:
September 25 - November 8, 2025

Fade to West: Paul Jasmin & Todd Weaver
Fahey / Klein Gallery, Los Angeles, July 10 – September 13, 2025

06/08/25

RPS International Photography Exhibition 2025 @ Saatchi Gallery, London

RPS International Photography Exhibition 2025
Saatchi Gallery, London
5 August - 18 September 2025

Lydia Goldblatt
Lydia Goldblatt
Lick
© Lydia Goldblatt
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Kunnath Keerthana
Kunnath Keerthana 
Boomika 1
© Kunnath Keerthana 
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Timon Benson
Timon Benson 
About to Leave
© Timon Benson
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Ville Niiranen
Ville Niiranen
Family Portrait
© Ville Niiranen
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

The exhibiting artists for the 166th edition of the Royal Photographic Society's International Photography Exhibition (IPE), the world's longest-running photography exhibition, have been announced. Renowned for showcasing the diversity of contemporary photography from around the world, the works are on display at London's Saatchi Gallery.

More than 4,000 photographers, both amateur and professional, submitted work for consideration in the 166th IPE open call. 113 prints from 51 photographers were selected by a guest panel for inclusion in the exhibition.

Selected Photographers: Mark Aitken, Jocelyn Allen, Debe Arlook, Murray Ballard, Timon Benson, John Boaz, Sean Cham, Raeann Kit-Yee Cheung, Alex Currie, Megan K Eagles, Thomas Dryden-Kelsey, Andy Fell, Stefano Ferrarin, Austin Fischer, Margarita Galandina, Lydia Goldblatt, Francisco Gonzalez Camacho, Mat Hay, Ronya Hirsma, Peter Holliday, Lawrence W. Ivy, Ayesha Jones, Keerthana Kunnath, Jacopo Locarno, Deacon Lui, Mehdi Moghimnejad, Aidan Murgatroyd, Albert Ng, Ville Niiranen, Ryan O'Toole Collett, Ana Paganini, Andy Pilsbury, Tine Poppe, Matthew  Renew, Emilie Rondal Nielsen, Hyunmin Ryu, Aindreas Scholz, Kate Schultze, Nirvana Seepersaud, Aria Shahrokhshahi, Xu Shengzhe, Gokhan Tannover, Valentin Valette, lnes Ventura, Katie Waite, Alastair Philip Wiper, Hanna Wolf, Naoto Yoshida, Zeng Fengyang, ChengLong  Zhang, Danilo Zocatelli Cesco.

Francisco Gonzalez Camacho
Francisco Gonzalez Camacho
Do(I)ce
© Francisco Gonzalez Camacho
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

John Boaz
John Boaz 
Fabian , Equestrian Eventer
© John Boaz
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Aidan Murgatroyd
Aidan Murgatroyd
The Tangential
© Aidan Murgatroyd
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Tine Poppe
Tine Poppe 
Chrysanthemum Morifolium 
© Tine Poppe
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

The IPE has always reflected the times and this year's submissions are no exception with many photographers focussing on themes that include environmental issues, identity, community, family, and culture, showing how contemporary photographers engage with and capture aspects of the world that are not only visually compelling but also socially and culturally significant.

With this edition showing at Saatchi Gallery, London, more people than ever can view the work and appreciate the broad range of photography and themes captured in the final selection.
Victoria Humphries, CEO of the RPS comments: "This is another edition of the RPS International Photography Exhibition that pushes the boundaries of creative expression and celebrates the diversity and evolution of photography. When you view this exhibition and see the same themes evolving from every corner of the world you can't underestimate the importance of the RPS International Photography  Exhibition in bringing  these works together."

Mat Hay
Mat Hay 
Felipe Barrera Aguirre, traditional Chinampero farmer 
and agroecology teacher
© Mat Hay
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Murray Ballard
Murray Ballard
Men Playing Cards, Muro Leccese Salento, [2022]
© Murray Ballard 
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society 

Peter Holliday
Peter Holliday 
Kalle 
© Peter Holiday 
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

Ana Paganini
Ana Paganini
Our Lady of Fatima
© Ana Paganini 
Courtesy of The Royal Photographic Society

The selection panel of experts consisted of Yuxing Chen, a Chinese artist and researcher based in the UK and previous recipient of the IPE 165 award; Kalpesh Lathigra,a British Indian artist occupying documentary and art practise and senior lecturer at London College of Communication/ University of the Arts London; Anne Nwakalor, a British Nigerian Photo Editor and Communications Officer and founding editor of No! Wahala Magazine; Nicola Shipley, Curator, Producer, Mentor and co-founder and Director of GRAIN projects; and photography consultant and long-term member of the IPE selection panel,Dr Michael Pritchard.

The two award recipients for the 166th edition of the International Photography Exhibition have been announced, with Lydia Goldblatt, and Keerthana Kunnath receiving the honours. Lydia Goldblatt  received the IPE Award for her series Fugue, which explores motherhood as a central theme, considering love and grief, mothering and losing a mother, as well as intimacy and distance.The Under 30s Award was presented to Keerthana Kunnath for her series Not What You Saw, which centres on South Indian female bodybuilders who challenge entrenched gender and beauty norms by embracing physical strength, a trait often considered as masculine.

On receiving the IPE award Lydia Goldblatt said:"It is a huge honour to have my work selected for the RPS IPE 166. I am deeply humbled and very grateful  to receive the IPE Award, and so excited to exhibit Fugue in the company of wonderful photographers. I am profoundly moved to know that this project, which began so quietly and privately, has resonated with the esteemed jury, and that it will have the opportunity to be seen by others who might a/so connect to its themes. To have my work recognised and seen within the rich context and history of the RPS is a very great privilege."

On receiving the Under 30s IPE Award Keerthana Kunnath said:" I am honoured to be named one of the two award winners at this year's RPS International Photography Exhibition. This recognition from such a prestigious institution marks a significant milestone in my photographic journey. It's a joy to see the series being appreciated and celebrated. Thanks to all the judges."

Simon Hill HonFRPS, RPS President,comments:"The RPS is proud to champion a dynamic and inclusive international photographic community. The International Photography Exhibition, with its unique legacy and global reputation, continues to be a vital platform for celebrating the richness and significance of contemporary photography. This 166th edition showcases an extraordinary collection of work from some of the most innovative and talented photographers worldwide. It is a testament to the power of photography to inspire, challenge, and connect us, and we are confident that this carefully curated exhibition will captivate and resonate with audiences through its diverse subjects, themes, techniques, and aesthetics."

RPS - ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

SAATCHI GALLERY, LONDON

25/07/25

Lee Friedlander, Joseph Rodríguez, Garry Winogrand @ Museum Ludwig, Cologne - "Street Photography" Exhibition Curated by Barbara Engelbach

Street Photography
Lee Friedlander, Joseph Rodríguez, Garry Winogrand
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Through October 12, 2025

Lee Friedlander - NYC
Lee Friedlander
New York City, 1963
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1963, 22 x 32,9 cm
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
© Lee Friedlander, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco 
and Luhring Augustine, New York 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Garry Winogrand - NYC
Garry Winogrand
New York City, 1969
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1978, 22,9 x 34,2 cm 
© The Estate of Garry Winogrand / Courtesy
Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv 

Joseph Rodriguez - Taxi
Joseph Rodriguez
220 West Houston Street, NY 1984,
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1988, 25,2 x 37,2 cm 
© Joseph Rodriguez, Courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

The street life of cities has always been a fascinating subject for photographers, who have approached it in a variety of ways, from candid images documenting urban unrest to portraits that shine a spotlight on individuals. Since the nineteenth century, cities and photography have been directly linked through the idea of modernity. With the introduction of compact cameras such as the Leica, street photography developed into its own genre in the mid-twentieth century. Small-format cameras gave photographers greater flexibility and enabled them to respond quickly while remaining discrete. They explored public space without obtruding and, in contrast to staged photography, captured candid and spontaneous moments that had previously been considered unworthy photographic subjects. Influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson’s concept of the “decisive moment,” these photographers sought to capture the fleeting instant when light, composition, and subject aligned to convey the significance of an event. 

Lee Friedlander NYC
Lee Friedlander
New York City, 1965
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1965, 22 x 32,9 cm
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
© Lee Friedlander, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco 
and Luhring Augustine, New York
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Garry Winogrand - Women are Beautiful
Garry Winogrand
Untitled, from: Women are Beautiful, around 1970
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1981, 21,7 x 32,4 cm
© The Estate of Garry Winogrand / Courtesy
Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Joseph Rodriguez Taxi
Joseph Rodriguez
I picked him up at a club and I took him to
Brooklyn. He was a happy camper, NY 1984,
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1988, 24,8 x 36,8 cm 
© Joseph Rodriguez, Courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv 

This exhibition in the Photography Room at the Museum Ludwig is dedicated to three protagonists from two generations of street photography: Garry Winogrand (b. 1928 in New York, d. 1984), Lee Friedlander (b. 1934 in Aberdeen, Washington, based in New York), and Joseph Rodríguez (b. 1951 in Brooklyn, based in New York). Despite all three photographers sharing the same subject matter, each one pursues a singular approach that produces distinct results. Iconic photographs from the 1960s to the 1980s are displayed alongside lesser-known examples from each photographer’s oeuvre. All of the works on display were included in donations made by the Bartenbach Family in 2015 and Volker Heinen in 2018, or have been acquired by the Museum Ludwig since 2001.

Lee Friedlander nyc street photography
Lee Friedlander
New York City, 1966
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1966, 22 x 32,9 cm
© Lee Friedlander, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco 
and Luhring Augustine, New York 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Lee Friedlander Mount Rushmore
Lee Friedlander
Mount Rushmore, 1969
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1969, 22 x 32,9 cm
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
© Lee Friedlander, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco 
and Luhring Augustine, New York 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

The landmark exhibition "New Documents" at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1967 helped launch the careers of Garry Winogrand and Lee Friedlander. Their striking photographs broke with visual conventions, such as a level horizon line or a centered main subject. Garry Winogrand frequently tilted his viewfinder, producing skewed horizon lines that offer a new view of reality and make his images appear spontaneous, as does his purposeful use of blurriness, overexposure, underexposure, and backlighting. Lee Friedlander, in turn, created compositions in which the viewer’s gaze is hindered by obstructions, such as shadows, signs, architectural elements, and streetlights, or is disoriented by reflections. 

Garry Winogrand Photograph
Garry Winogrand
Circle Line Statue of Liberty Ferry, New York, 1971
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1973, 21,7 x 32,4 cm
© The Estate of Garry Winogrand / Courtesy
Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Garry Winogrand - Street Photography
Garry Winogrand
Untitled, from: Women are Beautiful, around 1973
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1973, 21,7 x 32,4 cm
© The Estate of Garry Winogrand / Courtesy
Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Garry Winogrand and Lee Friedlander, who are represented in the exhibition with twenty images each, both use photography in a self-reflective way that brings the formal aspects of photography to the fore. This encourages an analytical gaze, producing an emotional distance between the viewer and the subject, which often results in ambivalent images where the intention of the photographer remains unclear. Garry Winogrand and Lee Friedlander each developed their own distinct style, embracing originality and authorship by merging documentary photography and personal expression. While they attempted to distance themselves from photojournalism and social documentary photography, eschewing eventbased, narrative-focused, and emotionally charged imagery, Joseph Rodriguez’s work deliberately engages with these genres. He aspires to give visibility to marginalized people by communicating with his subjects and attempting to tell their stories. Many of his photographs are accompanied by short commentaries that provide information about the context in which each image was created. Joseph Rodríguez’s pictures employ unusual perspectives and surprising compositions, and his use of reflections emphasizes the subjectivity of the photographer’s empathic gaze beyond the momentariness of the shot. The exhibition features around twenty photographs from his Taxi series.

Joseph Rodriguez - East Village, NY
Joseph Rodriguez
East Village, NY, 1984
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1988, 25,3 x 37,4 cm
© Joseph Rodriguez, Courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv

Joseph Rodriguez, Pulaski Skyway, New Jersey
Joseph Rodriguez
Pulaski Skyway, New Jersey, 1984
Gelatin silver paper, print after 1988, 25,2 x 37,2 cm
© Joseph Rodriguez, Courtesy Galerie Bene Taschen 
Repro: Historisches Archiv mit Rheinischem Bildarchiv 

This is the first exhibition in the new Photography Rooms at the Museum Ludwig, centrally located on the second floor.

Curator: Barbara Engelbach

MUSEUM LUDWIG
Heinrich-Böll-Platz , 50667 Köln 

Street Photography - Lee Friedlander, Joseph Rodríguez, Garry Winogrand
Museum Ludwig, Cologne, May 3 – October 12, 2025

21/07/25

Women, Football & Photography @ f³ – freiraum für fotografie, Berlin - "SHE CAN KICK IT! Women's Football and Photography" Exhibition

SHE CAN KICK IT!
Women's Football and Photography
f3 – freiraum für fotografie, Berlin
Through September 7, 2025 

Dewey Nicks
Dewey Nicks
Marta Vieira da Silva for The New York Times, 2009
© Dewey Nicks

Hy Money
Hy Money
1970s, England. Photographed by Hy Money
© Hy Money / Topfoto

Harriet Duffy
Harriet Duffy
From the series Football Came Home, 2022
© Harriet Duffy

An exhibition with works by: Caterina Barjau, Günther Bauer, Christophe Berlet, Thomas Böcker, Harriet Duffy, Laura Freigang, Johanna-Maria Fritz, Kai Heuser, Elliot James Kennedy, Alice Mann, Susan Meiselas, Hy Money, Dewey Nicks, Anja Niedringhaus, Cait Oppermann, David Ramos, Dana Rösiger, Josefine Seifert, Daniel Silva Yoshisato, Dorothea Tuch, Alexa Vachon, Viridiana, Anna Ziegler.

Hardly any sport is as emotionally charged as football—especially women's football. It has been ridiculed, it has been banned. Even the German Football Association (DFB) wanted to protect women from this “rough sport” and, in 1955, prohibited its affiliated clubs from offering women's football, stating: “In the struggle for the ball, feminine grace is lost.” It wasn't until 1970 that the association lifted the ban. Today, women’s football is celebrated—almost everywhere in the world. Players like Megan Rapinoe from the USA have become icons, fighting for equality and against the sexualization of women's bodies. They are role models for girls and effective ambassadors for advertising. Yet, there are still major disparities compared to the men's game—whether in opportunities to play or in compensation.

In honor of the UEFA Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland, SHE CAN KICK IT! brings women's football into visual focus: from artistic photo series by renowned photographers such as Susan Meiselas, a member of the prestigious Magnum Photos agency, to personal snapshots from national team player Laura Freigang. The exhibition explores the complex history of women's football and highlights the many challenges surrounding the topic.

Anja Niedringhaus
Anja Niedringhaus
Germany's Kerstin Garefrekes (18), Annike Krahn (5) 
fight for the ball with Brazil's Tania (4) and Renata Costa (5) 
during their final match at
the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup soccer tournament 
in Shanghai, China, Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007 
© AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus

Anja Niedringhaus, world-renowned for her images from war and crisis zones, photographed the jubilant women’s national football team led by captain Birgit Prinz at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007. Her images capture the tension, focus, and will to win felt by both teams. 

Susan Meiselas
Susan Meiselas
Stretch exercise before training session, 
National female soccer team, San Diego, California, 1998 
© Susan Meiselas / Magnum Photos

In 1998, Susan Meiselas documented the training of the U.S. women’s national team in San Diego, creating a series of touching behind-the-scenes photos. Stars like Brandi Chastain and Briana Scurry, whose names are now spoken with reverence by young players, appear in these intimate settings. 

Elliot James Kennedy
Elliot James Kennedy
Leah Williamson for British GQ, 2022
© Elliot James Kennedy

Dorothea Tuch
Dorothea Tuch
Türkiyemspor, Berlin, 2025
© Dorothea Tuch

Laura Freigang
Laura Freigang
Selfportrait, Paris, 2024
© Laura Freigang

A glimpse into the life of a current national player is offered by Laura Freigang of Eintracht Frankfurt. She always has her Leica camera with her—on the team bus, at training, or at the after-show party. Young, unconventional, and with a distinctive style, she documents her own life and that of her teammates. 

Cait Oppermann
Cait Oppermann
Megan Rapinoe for TIME 100, 2020
© Cait Oppermann

The photographs by Cait Oppermann, who shot the U.S. women’s soccer team for the TIME Magazine cover in 2019, mark a turning point in the players’ public image—from ridiculed outsiders to international icons and role models. 

For the anniversary issue of 11 Freunde magazine in 2025, Anna Ziegler portrayed the feminist and antifascist fan club Nutria Bande, which supports women’s football in Frankfurt. Personal stories from the Global South are told through the series by award-winning 

Daniel Silva Yoshisato
Daniel Silva Yoshisato
From the series Women Soccer Player from the Sky, 2004

Johanna-Maria Fritz
Johanna-Maria Fritz
From the series Testimony for Change, Sudan, 2021
© Johanna-Maria Fritz / Agentur Ostkreuz / ARTCO Gallery

Alexa Vachon
Alexa Vachon
Juhi, from the Series Wundergirl, 2017
© Alexa Vachon

German photographer Johanna-Maria Fritz, who accompanied a team in Sudan, and Alexa Vachon, who visited girls in India at home: despite social pressure, they remain devoted to their passion for football and proudly pose in their jerseys.

The world’s first women’s football team, the British Ladies, was founded in 1894 by Nettie Honeyball. Today, over 130 years later, women’s football has entered the public consciousness—yet as an emancipatory act, it remains as vital and relevant as ever.

The exhbition was curated by Nadine Barth and Katharina Mouratidi.

f³ – freiraum für fotografie
Prinzessinnenstrasse 30, 10969 Berlin

SHE CAN KICK IT! Women's Football and Photography
f³ – freiraum für fotografie, Berlin, June 27 — September 7, 2025

20/07/25

Polaroids @ Helmut Newton Foundation, Museum for Photography, Berlin

Polaroids
Helmut Newton Foundation, Museum for Photography, Berlin
Extended through August 17, 2025

The Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin presents a group exhibition, Polaroids. This showcase features works by Helmut Newton alongside numerous other photographers.

Helmut Newton Polaroid
Helmut Newton
Italian Vogue, Monte Carlo 2003 (SX-70)
© Helmut Newton Foundation

Helmut Newton Polaroid
Helmut Newton
Amica, Milan 1982 (Polacolor)
© Helmut Newton Foundation

Helmut Newton Polaroid Cindy Crawford
Helmut Newton
Cindy Crawford, American Vogue, Monte Carlo 1991 (Polacolor)
© Helmut Newton Foundation

Helmut Newton Polaroid Yves Saint Laurent
Helmut Newton
French Vogue, Yves Saint Laurent, Paris 1977 (Polacolor)
© Helmut Newton Foundation

With works by Jean-François Bauret, Michael Belenky, Mario de Biasi, Jim Bengston, Philippe Blache, Thorsten Brinkmann, Diana Blok/Marlo Broekmans, Lawrie Brown, Francesco Carbone, Elisabetta Catalano, Lucien Clergue, Share Corsaut, Barbara Crane, Davé, Alma Davenport, Jean-Claude Dewolf, Judith Eglington, Stephan Erfurt, Nathan Farb, Sandi Fellman, Franco Fontana, Klaus Frahm, Toto Frima, Verena von Gagern, Maurizio Galimberti, Luigi Ghirri, Ralph Gibson, Leonard Gittleman, Hans Hansen, Erich Hartmann, Charles Johnstone, Peter C. Jones, Tamarra Kaida, Sachiko Kuru, Edgar Lissel, Anne Mealhie, Sally Mann, Sheila Metzner, Nino Migliori, Tom Millea, Arno Rafael Minkkinen, Mark Morrisroe, Floris Neusüss, Arnold Newman, Helmut Newton, Werner Pawlok, Martha Pearson, Gérard Pétremand, Marike Schuurman, Stephen Shore, Jeanloup Sieff, Pola Sieverding, Neal Slavin, Christer Strömholm, Karin Székessy, Oliviero Toscani, Ulay, William Wegman, Mario Eugen Wyrwinski.

Jeanloup Sieff Self-portrait
Jeanloup Sieff
Self-portrait on car, 1977 (Polaroid T665)
© Jeanloup Sieff, Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

The Polaroid process revolutionized photography in the 1960s. Those who have used Polaroid cameras often recall the distinctive smell of the developing emulsion and the magic of watching an image materialize instantly. Depending on the camera model, some prints developed automatically, while others required the application of a chemical coating to fix the image. In this sense, Polaroids can be seen as a precursor to today’s digital photography – not in technical terms, but because of their immediate accessibility.

Polaroids are generally regarded as unique prints. This pioneering technology attracted enthusiastic users worldwide and in nearly all photographic genres – landscape, still life, portraits, fashion, and nude photography. Helmut Newton was particularly captivated by Polaroid photography, using a variety of Polaroid cameras and instant film backs, which replaced the roll film cassettes in his medium-format cameras. From the 1960s until his death in 2004, Helmut Newton relied on Polaroids primarily to prepare for fashion shoots. These instant photographs served as visual sketches, helping to test lighting conditions and refine his compositions. Despite their role as preparatory studies, Newton dedicated a book to these images in 1992, followed by a second book published posthumously in 2011. Some of Newton’s Polaroids, signed as standalone works, have since become highly prized on the art market.

Judith Eglinton Polaroid
Judith Eglington
Masked Woman, 1973 (SX-70 Polaroid)
© Judith Eglington, Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

Alma Davenport Polaroid
Alma Davenport
Warwick, Rhode Island, 1978 (Polaroid T 808)
© Alma Davenport, Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

Steven Shore Polaroid
Steven Shore
Ohne Titel, 1980 (Polaroid T 808)
© Steven Shore, courtesy Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

The archive of the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin holds hundreds of Newton’s original Polaroids. A carefully chosen selection from this collection has been curated and accompanied by enlargements of select works. The photographs are arranged roughly chronologically rather than by genre, but they reveal Newton’s extensive use of Polaroid cameras across all areas of his work over several decades. The exhibition is like peering into the sketchbook of one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. It invites visitors to envision Newton’s creative process, from initial concepts to finals images.

Sandy Fellman Polaroid
Sandy Fellman
Trophy, Tokio, 1984 (Polacolor 20 x 24)
© Sandy Fellman, Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

William Wegman Polaroid
William Wegman
Ohne Titel, 1988 (Polacolor 20 x 24)
© William Wegman, Courtesy OstLicht Collection, Vienna

In this group exhibition, Newton’s Polaroids are showcased alongside works by 60 additional photographers, including selections from the extensive Polaroid collection of OstLicht in Vienna. Curator Matthias Harder had full freedom to draw from this historic archive, which was saved from auction in 2010 by Peter Coeln, founder of WestLicht Vienna, following Polaroid’s bankruptcy. This international collection, stored at the Polaroid company for more than 20 years, comprises approximately 4,400 works by 800 photographers and has since been reestablished as a vital resource.

The Berlin exhibition highlights a wide variety of Polaroid processes and formats – SX-70, Polacolor 20 x 24, FP-100, and Polaroid T808 – as well as experimental treatments of individual prints and larger tableaux. 

Pola Sieverding Polaroid
Pola Sieverding
Valet #54, 2014 (Integralfilm / Polaroid) 
© Pola Sieverding

German artist Pola Sieverding is represented by her small-format SX-70 Polaroid series Valet, which features close-up views of male wrestlers. 

In contrast, Italian artist Maurizio Galimberti is known for his monumental Polaroid mosaics, a physically demanding process in which he obsessively circles his subject – whether a person, a building, or a flower – capturing tiny details in individual images. He later assembles these fragments into unified compositions that appear three-dimensionally unfolded.

Marike Schuurman Polaroid
Marike Schuurman
aus der Serie Toxic (Bergheider See PH 3), 2022
(SX-70 / Inkjet-Print) 
© Marike Schuurman, Courtesy Dorothée Nilsson Gallery

Two series by Dutch artist-photographer Marike Schuurman also explore experimental techniques, featuring inkjet print enlargements derived from SX-70 Polaroids. Toxic examines the lignite mining area in the Lausitz, south of Berlin, where coal extraction has left craters filled with highly acidic water. Schuurman photographed these artificial lakes using a Polaroid camera and developed the SX-70 prints in the lakes’ low-PH water, dramatically altering their colors. In her second series, Expired, the colors of long-expired Polaroid film merge into one another, creating a distinctive interplay.

Charles Johnstone Polaroid
Charles Johnstone
Lea, South Salem, New York, 2021 (FP-100c Polaroid)
© Charles Johnstone

New York City-based photographer Charles Johnstone produces small-format Polaroid publications at irregular intervals, each presenting a self-contained photographic narrative. Some projects, such as those centered on Monica Vitti, are captured as camera views from a screen and later bound into books. Other series, like Escape, involve collaboration with live models and were photographed en plein air at locations like a swimming pool in upstate New York. These projects result in unique artist’s books, some of which include C-prints of the Polaroids as special editions. A selection of these books is on view in a central display case within the exhibition.

Sheila Metzner Polaroid
Sheila Metzner
Michal, Mermaid, 1980 (Polacolor)
© Sheila Metzner

American photographer Sheila Metzner, known for her timeless and sensitive portraits, still lifes, and nudes – produced as Fresson prints – has previously exhibited her work at the Helmut Newton Foundation. Now, for the first time, her Polaroids are being presented. Drawn from the Newtons’ personal collection, these instant images provide insight into Metzner’s creative process, revealing her use of Polaroids as compositional studies – a technique similar to Helmut Newton’s approach.

HELMUT NEWTON FOUNDATION
MUSEUM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Jebensstrasse 2, 10623 Berlin