Helmut Newton: One-off

A stunning reproduction of a unique album of Helmut Newton’s iconic photographs, including many previously unseen images

German-Australian photographer Helmut Newton is one of the world’s most iconic fashion photographers. Inspired by Expressionist cinema, film noir, and surrealism, Newton was a prolific image-maker and visionary whose daring work helped shape modern photography and visual art.

In 1999, along with friend and collector Gert Elfering, Newton compiled a ‘One-off’ photographic album of his boundary-pushing work. Helmut Newton: One-off reproduces this album in full, faithful the album’s original size, as an exquisite reproduction, allowing readers to experience this remarkable object and to marvel at Newton’s artistic process and ingenuity.

The stunning album comprises more than 100 photographs – 8 unique Polaroids, 16 chromogenic prints, and 79 gelatin silver prints – each accompanied by Newton’s handwritten pencil annotation. Along with the album itself, the book includes a foreword by Philippe Garner, photography specialist, and Vice President of the Helmut Newton Foundation, as well as an insightful interview between Matthias Harder, Director of the Helmut Newton Foundation,  and Gert Elfering, together offering an immersive glimpse into Newton’s creative process.   The book also includes a collector’s statement by Nicola Erni. The One-off photo album forms part of the Nicola Erni Collection.

Review

'Gorgeous' – The Times LUXX

‘Explores that often-overlooked dimension of Newton’s work, the moments when his polished editorial signature gives way to something more autonomous and experimental.’ – Air Mail

‘Offers a new view of iconic images that are so embedded into our visual culture … a must for anyone interested in the creative workings of the German lensman.’ – Dazed

About the Author

Philippe Garner is a photography specialist, auctioneer, and curator. He worked at Sotheby’s auction house from 1970 to 2004 and helped establish the modern auction market for photography. He then moved to Christie’s, where he remained until 2016 as International Head of Photography and 20th-Century Decorative Arts and Design. Today, Garner continues his career as a photographer, freelance consultant, and writer.

Gert Elfering is an entrepreneur and art collector with a focus on fashion photography. His collections reflect his keen eye for fashion icons, aesthetics, and contemporary culture with works by Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, and Helmut Newton. In 1997, he was involved in founding the Camera Work gallery in Berlin. In 2013, he curated a special auction on the theme of Kate Moss – The Collection. Thus, he has not only been active as a buyer on the art market, but has also used his expertise as a curator, specialist, and photography dealer.

Matthias Harder is Senior Curator and Director of the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin since 2004. Before that he worked for several years as guest curator at Fotomuseum Munich and as director of Kunstverein Glückstadt. He is a member of the German Society for Photography and an advisory board member of the European Month of Photography. Harder also regularly publishes articles in art magazines, books, and exhibition catalogs.

Nicola Erni is a contemporary art and photography collector and Founder of the Nicola Erni Collection, Switzerland.

Helmut Newton (1920-2004) is one of the world’s most renowned and recognisable fashion photographers.