He was born in Berlin and he is buried in Berlin. In between, Helmut Newton lived on several continents, always photographing. Eventually, when he was in his late fifties, his work finally started to get the attention it deserved. When he died, in 2004, his books and exhibitions were too numerous to count, and his magazine work had been published all over the world in the best publications. He became a celebrity—I remember walking with him through the streets of Hamburg; people stopped him and wanted his autograph. At the end of his life his plans for a photography museum in Berlin were well on the way but not completed. His wife, June, completed the project with great dedication. When in Berlin, make a point to visit the Helmut Newton Museum.

Last week, when I was in my favorite German city, I visited the museum again. To get there, one has to pass through the seedy Bahnhof Zoo area before arriving, miraculously, at a beautifully restored Wilhelmenian building. Entering the building, the visitor is greeted by Helmut’s BIG NUDES hanging in the staircase. Quite a spectacular entrance! The ground floor is custom-made for die-hard Newton fans. His life unfolds chronologically in pictures, passports, objects, cameras he used, appointment books, faxes he wrote, fan letters, private photographs, published spreads. The pièce de résistance is his car, specially designed for him and bearing his initials, as well as an exact copy of his Monaco office. Helmut-mania ends on a sad note, with the condolence letters sent to his wife by dignitaries, cultural icons, and celebrities. Reading them I realized how much I still miss him.





1 / 9 Chevron Chevron Vogue studio, Paris, 1981.

Top image: “Big Nude III,” Paris, 1980.