Is Helmut Newton’s Photography Artistic or Pornographic? Essay

reckonPhotography is a very interesting media to convey messages, feelings and touchs, and leaves a massive range of styles and methods how to do so.The imagegrapher Helmut due north certain a stylus to envision his know takege imagi province of documentaryity and express his feelings, which is criticised by umteen people, for as some do non come up the guile in his practise. They quite a accuse it to be sexy.By flavor at the breeding of his naturalise over time and the true meaning of his depictions, the legal situation of publishing these pictures and the reproaches of his so called peachyest enemy, the libber Alice Schwarzer, I tried to level how the question whether Helmut normalitys treat is mechanicic or sexy is related to a renderd war between sexes, the battle between north and Schwarzer.Whilst there be m whatever books ab go forth picture taking, I precisely could baring a few information to the highest degree newtons work, in general interpreted from his protest autobiography, for as semipublic places, such as libraries did non had any solid. I guess this is be font of the context of his work. Nudity does non wait to be at its right place in a public library. However, I was willing to research newtons work in pointedness at first hand, when I for example went to one of his expos. further this all honest showed me how interesting this topic is. For as I nonwith understructureing contrive the creative personic material in his work, differents totally exclude it from the art-section. This seemed to be a matter of opinion, a matter of choice.My conclusion thereof is instal on the fact, that people subscribe their own right to decide what is pornographic, without be influenced by separates.(283)Background InformationHelmut newton was born on Sunday, 13. October 1920 in Schoeneberg, Berlin as a son of a wealthy thatton manufacturer. His bewilder enrolled him in the Ameri fag School of Berlin, scarce he was expelled because he chose to aspiration virtually picture taking, swimming, and girls instead of completing his schoolwork. Later on in 1936, newton started working on his cargoner as a photographer and became an scholar at the studio of the renowned and surface agnizen Berlin photographer Yva, whose real name is Elsie Simon. He completed his placement after two eld. Because of the great pressure level of the National Socialists on the Jewish society, he left Ger umpteen in 1938 to go to capital of Singapore, where he accepts a position as a photojournalist for the Singapore Straits Times. However, he was fired two weeks later due to incompetence.1 subsequently spending a couple of long time in Singapore without work, attempt to sleep himself through life, he lost any professional ambition. He had indifferent opinions round photography.In 1940, being wholly 20 years old, he got carried off to an Australian internment camp. As there was a change of governm ent, he left the camp and after he was action from the army, newton first changed his name from Helmut Neustaedter into Helmut atomic number 7 and so opened a small photography studio in Melbourne.In 1948, normality espouse the actress June Brunell, which started in 1970 her own photography career under the name of Alice Springs. newton began contri simplying demeanor photos to French Vogue in 1961 and continued to do so for twenty-five years. During this time, he to a fault was a regular fashion contri moreoveror to Linea Italiana, Queen, Nova, Jardin des Modes, Marie-Claire, Elle, and American, Italian and German Vogue.IntroductionHelmut Newton tardily had an exhibition in the NRW-Forum, Dsseldorf, Ger numerous to celebrate his eightieth birthday. It was called Helmut Newton-Work and it included his cc favourite pictures from the three al nigh important areas fashion, nudes and portraits- from his last forty years of work, exactly arranged by his wife, June Brunell, who is express to have a study impact on Newtons photography.As his work has transfixed me over several years and I had shown great interest in this photographer from the moment I first saw his work, for me the pictures granted in the exhibition were unbelievable fascinating and they held my attention for ages. I looked at each(prenominal) detail and interpreted them and made up my own little stories, to find out what lies rear these pictures. They really impressed me and inspired me, giving me lots of ideas I would like to try out in photography myself.Photography is a great method to mediate and convey messages, ideas and emotions. For as I know that to give a photo the right expression you have to be talented and acquiremented, I can say that Helmut Newton is one of the most talented photographer, as he creates such an extensive and controversial work. However, I should add that, from what I have read of Helmut Newton himself, I am disgusted by him, his character and his be liefs, precisely this does non change my opinion round his work as I am tranquillize hypnotized by his pictures. I am thrilled of the behavior he uses his environ to create this illustrious and special atmosphere in his pictures and often caught myself neediness to be set into generate by him one time.Peoples opinions however, tend to be different when it comes to Newtons work. Some people, principally women, feel offended by his pictures or at least are not happy or so the idea Newton uses to mediate his massages.I went to the exhibition with my mum and afterwards we both argued about which of these pictures should be allowed to be published and which should not, and we reliablely did not come to an agreement where the line is, that should not be crossed.The phenomenon Newton would be not conceivable without the womens movement.(Bild)The womens movement has developed and grown during the period of Helmut Newtons career. straightaway feminist criticism is established i n universities, in parts of the media, and in the questions of more a(prenominal) people in everyday life. Whilst I really delight Helmut Newtons work I am aware of feminist criticism of it. Many of them title his work as voyeuristic and pornographic. It is in the context of these ideas and theories that I need to work out my own thoughts.This char cannot run away, not even before Newtons fantasies.2(Alice Schwarzer)There have been many writers and commentators on Helmut Newtons work, but I have decided to focus on the writing of Alice Schwarzer, whose translator communication are quoted above. For me, these anti-Newton writings represent the best known and most uttermost(prenominal) reaction against the photographers work, especially in Germany.Is Helmut Newtons photography artistic or pornographic? This is my research question.My hypodissertation and thesis and argument is that Helmut Newtons work is not pornographic. My belief is that the swear out to this question lies with each individual. Therefore, I will argue that the photographs are not pornographic for me. However, Alice Schwarzer made it very pee-pee, that they are indeed pornographic to her, and it is likewise clear that she would like to comport me and all her other readers to take the self corresponding(prenominal) diorama. For me, I am not interested in trying to persuade others what to think, but simply, in exploring my own responses to the work. In this way, I feel that I am close to Helmut Newtons own point of see in that his art is made for himself.Main Body / DevelopmentPictures can influence the perception of the true reality ruin and more consummationive than playscripts. This concept was already followed by the Old Testament picture prohibition, which consists of the economy Thy shall not make for yourself an idol3. However, this did not mean, that there was no allowance for art, as the religious started to use symbols (such as the white dove symbolises the Holly S pirit) to make their point. Pictures convey messages and raise emotions. And in our moderne media society the dependence of simple visual perception and its power increases.The actual meaning of a picture, however lies rather in what kind of different details in the photo cause different feelings in our selves than just its outer look. That is why the meaning and the mad message is dependent on the person who is looking at the picture, as the personal perception and the experience of life play a major part in deciding what we observe as reality. This person then may decide, whether the artwork he or she is looking at is artistic or not.Deciding on whether something is artistic, we first have to define the word art. Although today there is no universally accepted definition of art4, I would define art as an imitation of reality and an expression of what the artist feels. An artistic arrangement, design etc. therefore looks attractive and has been done with skill and supposition .5 Our interest in art involves aesthetic evaluation, which might be dogmatic or negative. Not just the viewers but also certain artists have different opinions of what is beautiful and artistic and how it should be expressed.Although Newton does not want to be seen as an artist (this fine-art crap is killing photography, in my vocabulary, art is a dirty word.6), looking at my definition of art and his statement I use what idol gives me, but arrange the cosmea the way I like it.7 would prove him wrong, as God gives the reality and Newtons feelings arrange his own universe of discourse.It is said that an artist develops his own style through a creative temperament. For the artist therefore a sure measurement of achievement is, when the work produced continues to stay in our minds even a long time after we first got into spot with the works egress charms. There are many people, that see these surface charms as a barrier from looking deeper into Newtons photographs. For them, hi s pictures salvage cause accusations of familiar voyeurism. In todays life, nude pictures involving any kind of human being whether gruesome or white, young or old, bag in the shadow of political and moral disapproval it could never hope to support. But why criticising and ab employ Newtons work as voyeurism, if it is said that distance generates mystery and enchantment?8 Though it is not just Newtons own work that bashes people, but more or little his influence, the influence on the viewer, the outside, the society.Newton is said to be one of the best fashion photographers of his time. He often surprises us with work that goes far beyond what an magazine editor would require.It all began in genus Paris in 1961, when he started his career at the French Vogue. It is a well known fashion magazine for women, that often shows the way women are looked at. A few years later, the simple fashion photos became more taboo-braking as he used implications of bestiality9. One example of thi s is the series he produced in the American Vogue in 1975. There, women with surface chains were presented in leather cloths, the reputation of fashion being clean and light was destroyed by a single picture series showing dirt and dark act upon on the skinny bodies of the womanly models. Although the women were so powerful illustrated, they had a scent out of submissiveness to the viewer. These pictures were telling a story a story that was different from mind to mind. It was different to what people were used to. This was not just fashion photography anymore. It was new and it was created by Newton.Fashion photography started in the early twentieth century and is said to create an image of the society, reflecting the reality and creating an important role that women play in it. It is used to sell the product that it displays, using the execution of temptation and the desire they inspire. From the start, fashion photography had close similarities with portraiture and it was no t clear, where the dividing line between these two categories laid. But as no other photographer did, Newton succeeds in overshooting these lines between fashion and portraiture, combining it with bleakness and nearly dissolve these lines, so that there is no clear discrepancy anymore. It is not simple to classify a picture of Newtons to a particular genre, as it often happens that a fashion photo is nude, a nude is fashion and also portrait at the akin time. It seems like Newton really enjoys playing with these genres, making it not clear to the viewer which one it belongs to. These created images constantly evoke contradictions. Real and artificial, feminine and masculine, relegate and object, nude and dress, are just some of them.(PICTURES)Women that are once dressed and then undressed again, in the same situations and poses, great, large images of nude women execute in series (such as the Big Nudes, Naked and Dressed, internal Nudes) he developed an infinitive repertoire. Infinitive are also the different poses and situations the models are shown. No other photographer has ever shown the fe virile body in so many different ways, though with the booster of unusual material, leaving many imaginary situations, desires and stories, which do all evoke and express his life (and ours) in a miraculous way.This is not typical and certainly not ask in fashion photography, however, it is what makes Newtons work so erratic over the past time and compared to other artists work. Therefore we can say, that Newton has evermore been some(prenominal) more than a fashion photographer not moreover, because he created this own unusual style but also because he insists that concept is more important than cloths.10 He became one of the most famous star photographers in every way. Politician, actors, artist everyone wants to be set into pose by the master of the oppressive fantasy. He portrayed people from every kind of political and aesthetic matter Helmut Kohl in front of the German oak, Gerhard Schroeder in front of a brick wall, Andy Warhol in bed and Anthony Hopkins with an evil but mystical look. For me all these different pictures show that he is definitely a figurative artist who has the skill of using the medium of photography to create a unique imaginative world.(PICTURES)A remarkable change to the view of fashion photography happened in the years between the sixties and eighties. In this decade years of extreme creativity and productivity were created and it was during these years that the unique originality of Helmut Newtons vision took shape, that is to always try to find a new concept of beauty. In his tending to be aggressive and provocative photos, Newton reached the point where he displayed the difference between the sexes to such an effect that many parts of the society, mainly feminists, titled him with the presumption of misogyny and class together to make a clear protrude against him. Although Newton always tried to im agine and visualise women exactly as they are. He seems to be interested especially in presenting those women that are not following but leading themselves, women, that desire and love whomever and whenever they like, most important in whatever way they like. He shows women that have command upon their own bodies and are complimentary and willing to present them in this powerful way, that he is most famous for, women who are both responsible and willing.11 Newton insists on the question How do we see the women? Definitively, he has already left his serve well for the world.The phenomena Newton would also not be considerable without the womens liberation. smell at Newtons work from the first base, one can see that parallel to his phylogeny of photography in the past forty years, the women rights and therefore their self-confidence has also changed. Women became more self-confident and independent and subscribe to their rights of their own body. This development is panoptical i n the art work of Newton. Whereas the women in Newtons photos from the 70s and the beginning of the 80s look less confident with their eyes slightly to the floor looking bashful into the camera, the women of the 80s and 90s radiate self-confidence. A development that Newton could not influence. Looking at that perspective, one could see Newtons work as a mirror of our time, reflecting the past and the history.(PICTURES)Accused of treating them like objects, called misogynous, porno-chic or perverted, the photographer has never been afraid of crossing the frontiers between moral and aesthetic and in his way, reinvent concepts such as the feminine, eroticism, sexuality and power. Ironically, it is the feminine side, that accuses and dislikes Newton and his work the most, although it is him who seems to command and admire women to a great extend, just as he wants the viewer to admire and love them.The war between the sexes(PICTURES)One woman became very famous because she raised her v oice against this man, that uses the power of popularity and might to present his fantasy, feelings and thoughts in a way that no one else has done before, using the female body to illustrate all sorts of situations. Here, we are talking about a war between the sexes, a war that has not found an end yet. It is an continues back and forth in propaganda and cross propaganda between the most famous photographer, Helmut Newton, and the most famous German feminist Alice Schwarzer. It is she who accuses him of supplying propaganda material to this war of sexes, giving higher doses year after year.Alice Schwarzer was born in1942 in Wuppertal, Germany. She lived with her grandparents, who took great care of her. It is said that she had the best relationship with her granddad, that she had ever had with a man. In 1970 she became a member of the Paris womens liberation (Mouvement de carrier bag des femmes, MLF). After she moved back from France to Gerany, she then became a magnanimous autho r until the 26.January 1977 were she found EMMA. EMMA is a bi-monthly magazine that comes out the last atomic number 90 of every even month. It is available in every German-speaking hoidenish at large news-stands. Read by about 120.000 people EMMA is the only magazine for women published by women in Europe. Until now, Schwarzer is cool it its editor-in-chief and publisher.She has written many books and articles, where she mentioned the work of Helmut Newton, where she asked other women to stand up for the womens right and especially, to stand against this so-called voyeuristic photographer, Helmut Newton. One article is directly written about Newtons work. It was published in EMMA 6/1993 and also in Schwarzers book Alice in the mens world an temporary balance12. In this article, Alice Schwarzer definitely makes her point and opinion clear. There is no sympathy to Newton, no admiration, not a single positive statement. She lists every point that she can mention in a negative way and finds interesting methods to relate his voyeuristic, sadistic and pornographic work to Newtons past. It happens in her article, that she draws the readers attention to the fact, that Helmut Newton is descended from a Jewish family and that his first photography teacher, the by him admired and famous Yva (whose real name was Else Simon), was later off in Ausschwitz.She relates this fact to his alleged sadistic and black fantasy and is shock that any respect and honour and pride is missing to what has happened to the Jews in the sustain world war. She says that his fantasy world is full of offenders in uniform or pinstripes and victims, that have the meaningful expression of being strong. Tall, blond girls, shiny black slaves and greedy mistress, that wait for their masters to get broken down. Basically she is not wrong in saying this as he indeed said in his autobiography, that he was fascinated by the domina and prostitutes and the dark atmosphere that surrounds them at the time he was living in London (1957). But Schwarzer does not only want to explain what sort of women, in her opinion, Newton presents, but she wants to build a connection between his passion for cruel, dominating but beautiful women and his past, the fact that he is Jewish and grew up in a time where pictures were made to produce propaganda.Hitler used posters and pictures to show the Germans whom they shall like and whom they should not pointing at the Jews and declaring them as bad. These pictures showed Jewish people, looking like criminals, explaining the German nation that this is how the people look like that can be ridiculed, carried off and killed. This comparison forms a courageous thesis. But, however, you can feel her anti-sympathy for Newton, as she is stunned about the phantasm Newton publishes, where no picture is the product of a better one, only showing the tortured view in the own chasm13. She has the opinion, that Newtons pictures do not disturb but confirm the br eathing relations in a world of violence, war and torture. Newtons pictures are comparable with the fantasy of men and the awe with which the male imagination regards all women. He shows the insecure men a strong, powerful and demanding woman, and these pictures do not ask productive questions but give straight answers to the modern society therefore they are pure pornography (Schwarzer).Pornography, that is what Schwarzer sees in Newtons work. Pictures, that are made by humans of humans, have an effect of their social and psychological reality where it does not matter whether it is a pornographic, anti-Semite(a) or anti-Semitic picture.14 According to the law, however, representations are only pornographic, if they cause sexual state of arousal to the viewer and at the same time go beyond the agreed limits of the social values to the sexual sense of decency.15 This would mean, that this carve up serves to the general feeling for decency but not for the safety of the womens dign ity. A point that makes Schwarzer despair. Over and over again she makes that clear. But not only through words, speeches, written articles and books, but also through legal movements she raises her voice to emphasise the importance of this topic.In 1978, Alice Schwarzer sued the German magazine bunghole for umbrage against 823 BGB16, that says Who offends intentionally or negligently the life, body, health, freedom, ownership or any other right of another in any way, is obligated to compensate the victim for the arised damage. It was simply the topic of some of Newtons pictures, (In July 1977 the Stern published a picture showing a naked female backside placed on a bikes commove in March 1978 a naked woman on the beach, cover with sand on the decisive parts of the body and in April 1978 it was the publication of a picture showing a black female, naked, holding a microphone in her hand, however, being tied up in heavy, metal chains) that caused Schwarzer and many other women to go to court and to sue the Stern.The statement of claim of Schwarzers side said, that not only the way and manner of the presentation, but also the summery shows that there is a simple system behind it The representation of women as an instrument of power. Schwarzer had the opinion she had deciphered a global, male conspiracy, based on a gentlemens agreement not to see women as actors but as objects of male controlled art. She also accused Newton to be the leader of this egoistic and little-caring male party, for as not many are as talented and as cold at the same time as he is. However, Schwarzer lost the conflict. The judge saw no conclusive element in Schwarzers allegation, more or less because the plaintiffs could not be in force of the personal violation of own law. Women as a group are not able to be collectively insulted, so the judge. The plaintiffs should present their concern to the legislator, as he went on.And that is what she followed the abutting few years. Her aim is to gain a law against the production, spreading and stubbornness of pornography. In other words The censorship of Pornography. She demands more rights for women, the right for women to stand up against the pornographic representation of women by artists such as Newton, to stand up for the dignity of (wo-)men with all strengths, because pornography is the propaganda for the degradation of women and has nothing to do with morality (Schwarzer). Following that concept, at the end of the 1987, EMMA got the Anti-Porn-Campaign started under the name PorNO, led by Alice Schwarzer.Being a representative of this attempt means you have to agree with Mrs Schwarzers opinion that pornography does support the violence on women and children, as pornography displays women in a humiliated position or rather as pornography is the humiliated act against women. It gives a picture of women that are human beings of second rank, born to be victims, just intimately enough to be used, taken, raped, and t ortured. According to EMMA17, pornographic pictures and movies give rise to the pressure and constraint for women to give themselves away to this humiliation. But the actual centre of the campaign against pornography lies in the argument that Pornography causes violence. And it is so much more than just the expression of the brutality as a whole. To establish her thesis, Schwarzer always follows the same pattern when writing her articles.Although still seen morally wrong, women who show their body for published pictures or sell sex are still allowed to continue their trade. Schwarzer asks the women why this has been allowed to continue and gives a straight and simple answer men.ConclusionIs Helmut Newtons photography artistic or pornographic? Working on this research question whilst looking at the developed war between Newton and the feminist Schwarzer was really interesting and had taught me many things I had not known before. I have to say it was delicate criticising Newtons wor k from the perspective of Schwarzer, as I do not share her opinion. Studying the feminist view on Newtons work did not hold me away from the belief that his work is fantastic and by all means artistic indeed. Though I do understand what causes Schwarzers anxiety, I still do not agree with how she tries to persuade others to acquire her opinion and do not see any value in her argument. However, I respect her opinion for as my belief is, that every individual has to decide on his or her own whether Newtons work is artistic or pornographic.Art is just the presentation of the visions and fantasies, emotions and thoughts of an artist and should not be doubt by dramatic people, for as I think that Newton only shows the forbidden desire, no one else dares to talk about, whether male or female but still captures in his/her mind.I use what God gives me, but arrange the world the way I like it.18(Helmut Newton)AppendixThe following pictures are added for the reader of this written piece to d ecide for his or her own whether Helmut Newtons photography is pornographic or artistic.(PICTURES)Bibliography* Helmut Newton, Autobiographie, 2002, Bertelsmann Verlag* Helmut Newton Work, Taschen* John L. Tomkinson, The attempt of Knowledge, 1999, Leader Books S.A. Publications* Longman Dictionary of contemponary English, Third Edition* Alice Schwarzer, Alice im Mnnerland eine Zwischenbilanz, 2002, Kiepenheuer&Witsch* EMMA1. EMMA 12/19872. EMMA Sonderband 53. EMMA 06/19934. EMMA 07/1978* World Wide Web1. http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htm2. http//www.uol.com.br/modabrasil/london_link/english/helmut3. http//www.aliceschwarzer.de/content/c1052749630440.html4. http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htm5. http//www.freitag.de/2000/49/00491501.htm6. http//www.aliceschwarzer.de/textevon/kernthema_4,htmlPictures taken from various websites, but mainly from the google-picture-gallery.AcknowledgementsI wish to acknowledge the help and support of the following peopl eJohn Rolfe for his great help in supervising and supporting me during my studyMax van Sambeck for his information about the legal rightsEMMA for giving me some information about their work and about Alice SchwarzerRegina von Kempis-Kster my mom, for travelling to Dsseldorf with me to see Helmut Newtons exhibition Helmut Newton-work1 http//www.temple.edu/photo/photographers/spring03/photographers/heatherprice/newton/biography.html2 http//www,aliceschwarzer.de/content/c1052749630440.html3 Bible, Exodus 20,44 John L. Tomkinson, The Enterprise Of Knowledge5 Longman Dictionary of contemponary English6 http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htm7 http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htm8 Helmut Newton, Autobiografie9 http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htm10 www.uol.com.br/modabrasil/london_link/english/helmut11 Helmut Newton Work, Taschen12 = Alice im Mnnerland eine Zwischenbilanz (Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 2002)13 Alice im Mnnerland eine Zwischenbilanz (K iepenheuer & Witsch, 2002)14 Alice Schwarzer, EMMA 12/198715 German law, $184 StGB Strafrechtliches Gesetzbuch (=Criminal/Penal Civil Code)16 German law, 823 Brgerliches Gesetzbuch (=Civil Code)17 EMMA Sonderband 5, page 6f18 http//www.rpadel.dircon.co.uk/rp_helmut_newton.htmShow preview only