Erwin Blumenfeld (1897 – 1969) is regarded as one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century. An experimenter and innovator, he produced an extensive body of work throughout his career including black and white nudes, celebrity portraiture, advertising campaigns and his renowned fashion photography. He took more covers for Vogue than any photographer before or since and his art photography was for a long time overshadowed by his commercial work.
Erwin Bluemenfeld’s life was an extraordinary one, from a tailor apprentice to owner of leather shop, and ultimately he became the most-wanted fashion photographer. He broke all the rules and created his own language of photography, leaving us thousands of striking images and videos, although his artistic creation still remains to be recognized. Bluemenfeld pushed the boundaries in his art and in his life. He died in 1969, in a deliberate attempt to induce a heart attack, because he had repeatedly run up and down the steps in Rome. It is said that he could not bear his aging self.
歐文·布盧門菲爾德(1897-1969)是二十世紀最有影響力的攝影師之一。他是攝影領域的實驗者和創新者, 他的整個職業生涯中創作了大量的題材廣泛的作品,包括黑白的裸體人物、名人肖像、商業廣告以及他著 名的時尚攝影。他是為《時尚》雜誌拍攝封面最多的攝影師,他在商業攝影作品上的成功在很長一段時間 里遮蔽了他自己藝術攝影作品的光彩。
歐文·布盧門菲爾德的一生就是一部傳奇,從一個裁縫學徒到皮草店的小店主,再到日後成為當時最為聲名 顯赫的攝影師,他的一生跌宕起伏,亂象環生,他打破了關於攝影技術那些約定俗成的規則,破壞一切不 需墨守的陳規,創造出驚豔的圖像。關於他的死也是極富戲劇性的,很多人認為他是因為受夠了自己的衰 老而故意進行強烈運動誘使心髒病發作而自殺。
“I was an amateur-I am an amateur-and I intend to stay an amateur. To me an amateur photographer is one who is in love with taking pictures, a free soul who can photograph what he likes and who likes what he photographs. By that definition I am an amateur, so that is the definition that I accept. Currently I am absorbed in magazine and advertising illustration, and I remain as true an amateur than I was at ten. The wonder that the camera can really reproduce anything shown to it still astounds me; and I am strongly determined to show the lens a more exciting, dramatic and beautiful way of presenting life.”
“我以前是一名業餘攝影師,我現在也是業餘 的,我打算一直做一名業餘攝影師。對我來 說,一名業餘攝影師就是喜歡拍照片的人, 一個可以拍攝他喜歡的人和事物的自由的靈 魂。基於這個定義,我是一名業餘攝影師。 雖然我現在為雜誌和廣告插畫而工作,但我 認為我還是像我十歲那時候一樣,是一位業 餘攝影師。照相機能夠精確重現事物的能力 依舊令我震撼,我強烈的希望用鏡頭來更精 彩、更戲劇化和更為美麗地展示生活。”
Tips 小貼示
Blumenfeld Studio: New York 1941-1960
歐文•佈盧門費爾德工作室:紐約1941-1960
展覽場地:Somerset House 薩默賽特宮
展覽時間:23.5.2013-1.9.2013
更多信息:www.somersethouse.org.uk
