William Klein (photographer)
William Klein ( born April 19, 1928 in New York) is an American painter, film director and photographer. He lives and works in Paris.
As a photographer, he has published a number of books about big cities: New York, Rome, Moscow, Tokyo and finally Paris, where he lives since 1948 and he loves because of its cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic character. He has influenced artists such as Helmut Newton, Frank Horvat, David Bailey and Jeanloup Sieff.
Biography
William Klein is the son of immigrant Jews. He studied sociology and then did his military service. On 13 July 1947, he visited Paris for the first time (as GI) and fell in love with " the most beautiful girl from Paris". A little later he entered the studio of André Lhote ( such as Henri Cartier -Bresson ), a later in the studio of Fernand Léger. He lived in La Garenne- Colombes and married Jeanne Florin.
He began a career as a photographer and began at the same time to turn to short films. With Louis Malle on Zazie dans le he worked métro.
At the beginning of the 1950s presented Klein of abstract geometric painting. At the same time, he led a kind of photographic diary. Chris Marker helped him to be released from the publisher au Seuil, the book was awarded the Prix Nadar. Fellini invited him to become his assistant. In the early 1960s he directed several episodes of the show Colonnes Cinq à la une, including Les Français et la politique ( The French and the policy) that was censored.
By 1965, Klein worked as a fashion photographer for Vogue. His fashion photographs " revolutionize " the genre: His models no longer had the hands on the hips and with their feet they no longer occupied the position of classical ballet dancer. Klein's work at that time was surrounded by a hint of scandal.
His career as a filmmaker is mainly characterized by its political commitment, particularly in favor of African Americans, whose struggles he seeks to support through portraits of personalities such as Muhammad Ali, Little Richard and Eldridge Cleaver.
1983 and 2005 dedicated to him, the Centre Pompidou in Paris one exhibition. 2004 saw an exhibition " Paris Klein" in the Martin- Gropius-Bau in Berlin.
Work
Documentary
Movies
Famous photographic works
- The photo Gun 1, New York ( 1955).
- The photo Sainte famille à moto ( Rome, 1956).
- The work Cineposter, Tokyo 1961.
- The work for Vogue with models in the streets of New York in 1963.
- The cover for the album Love on the Beat ( 1964) by Serge Gainsbourg.
- The Club Allegro Fortissimo work (1990).
- Autoportrait (1995 )
Bibliography
- New York ( 1956)
- Life is good and good for you in New York: Trance Witness Revels (1958 )
- Rome ( 1958)
- Moscou (1964 )
- Tokyo (1964)
- Mister Freedom " (1970 )
- Close up ( 1989)
- Torino '90 (1990 )
- Fashion in & out (1994 )
- New York 1954-55 edition - éd. Marval (1995 )
- William Klein film - éd. Marval (1998)
- Paris Klein - éd. Marval (2002)
- MMV Romani (2005)
- William Klein, rétrospective - éd. Marval (2005) - more than 300 photos and 384 pages