30.09.09

William Klein Snapshot Profile

Name: William Klein

Born: 1928 in New York

Areas of Expertises: Documentary, Fashion

The Facts:
Klein was born into a family of poor Jewish immigrants and experienced anti-Semitism first-hand whilst living in a Irish neighbourhood. Klein moved to Paris to study under Fernand Legerat at the age of 20. Legerat encouraged his students to reject conformity and draw inspiration from the streets. As an artist using photography Klein set out to re-invent the photographic document during the early 1950’s.

From 1955 to 1965 Klein worked for American Vogue and returned to New York City. At his own request, he made a ‘photographic diary’ of the city showing a raw view of the city whilst continuing to shoot fashion on the streets. Klein introduced new techniques into fashion photography such as the use of wide-angle and long-focus lenses, long exposures combined with flash and multiple exposures.

Klein returned to Paris where he still lives. From 1965 to the early 1980’s, Klein abandoned photography and primarily concentrated on film. He then returned to still photography in the 1980s.

His work has been shown in major venues across the world including the Museum of Modern Art de la Ville, Paris and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Clients:
American Vogue

Books:
New York 1954-1955 (1956)
Rome (1960)
Moscow (1964)
Tokyo (1964)
Close Up (1990)
In and Out of Focus
William Klein Contacts (2005)
MMV Romani William Klein (Italian Edition) (2006)

 


 

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