Anton and on...

Corbijn continues to work with new acts that are up and coming.
Check this out - a new Manchester  synthpop band (duo) performed at Electric Picnic 2010.

Corbijn seems to have given these images a much cleaner and sharper tone to them.

Hurts

http://blog.thenewmusic.net/earworm-hurts-wonderful-life/

http://buzz103.radio.com/2010/05/17/video-hurts-better-than-love/

More info on the band: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8439832.stm

Album covers

Here's a couple of album covers that Corbijn has been asked to do:  

U2 - The Joshua Tree

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

 The Killers - Sam's Town

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam%27s_Town

U2 - All That You Can't Leave behind

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_That_You_Can%27t_Leave_Behind

Books and DVD's

Corbijn has some great photography books with some brilliant images of all kinds. Here are some of the titles you should look out for:

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Star-Trak-Anton-Corbijn/dp/3829600569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1292030271&sr=8-1

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

DVD
Includes Nirvana, Depeche Mode and The Killers

http://www.dvdempire.com/Exec/v4_item.asp?item_id=694259

Exhibition - Inwards & Onwards (iii)

Gerard Richter - Cologne 2010

Corbijn: "Photography is a great excuse to meet people, so that’s how I sometimes use it. This image stems from an interest in the world of painters and always wanting to learn more about it. If anything, I’m a frustrated painter. My grandfather was a painter and my father was a minister of religion. My grandfather died when I was very young and my father only took me once in my whole life to a museum. He was not against it, it just wasn’t part of his interest. [The museum exhibition] was Rembrandt, because Rembrandt depicts biblical scenes and it was the only way my father could relate to painting. I grew up on an island, and I didn’t have any knowledge of culture when I was very young."

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2010/11/anton_corbijn_slideshow.html#photo=9x68565

Exhibition - Inwards & Onwards (ii)

Some of Corbijn's pictures featured at the gallery

Alexander McQueen - London 2007

Kate Moss - New York 1993

Tom Waits - California 2004

Iggy Pop - New York 2003

Exhibition - Inwards & Onwards (i)

Current Exhibition!!

Anton Corbijn, Inwards and Onwards

November 5 – December 15, 2010

Stellan Holm Gallery proudly presents an exhibition of new works by Dutch photographer and film director, Anton Corbijn, entitled Inwards and Onwards. The exhibition will open on Friday, November 5 and will run through Wednesday, December 15, 2010. This will be Anton Corbijn’s second exhibition at Stellan Holm Gallery.

Inwards and Onwards will feature a series of black-and-white portraits depicting various influential artists, musicians, models and designers, ranging from Gerhard Richter to Iggy Pop to Kate Moss. These exquisitely composed, deeply human photographs represent the very best of Corbijn’s craft as a portrait photographer. Foregoing any use of artificial lighting, Corbijn discovers subtle nuances of light and soft contours, creating a stillness that seems almost sculptural. 

Like so much of Corbijn’s oeuvre, this series of portraits astutely portrays those whose creativity and fervor have served to shape the culture around us. Corbijn demonstrates a personal, contemplative view towards his subjects, and above all, an adoration for these important and iconic figures. A social and psychological awareness pervades, truthfully engaging the viewer in what it means to be an artist in our contemporary times. Whilst depicting those who traverse the inherent trials and tribulations of the creative process, Corbijn offers a unique glimpse into the artistic mind of his subjects, as well as his own.

Anton Corbijn, born in Strijen, Netherlands in 1955, established himself with portraits of artists such as David Bowie, Miles Davis, Bono, Clint Eastwood, and Tom Waits. He has directed over 75 music videos, designed numerous album covers and has exhibited in major galleries and museums worldwide, such as the Ludwig Museum, Budapest, the Moscow Museum of Art, Moscow and the Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands. More recently, Corbijn has directed major motion picture films including the 2010 film, The American, starring George Clooney. 

For further information please contact the gallery at info@stellanholm.com
Gallery hours: Monday through Saturday, 10am - 6pm


So if you're in New York swing by and check it out - you won't regret it!


http://www.stellanholm.com/content.php?mode=exhibitions&object_id=88

Film - The American

So far the film has got mixed reviews from critics around. Alot of fans of the movie and of Corbijn have told people who are giving out about it to calm down, that not every movie with the lead role being an assassin needs a shoot up scene every 5 minutes.

Metacritic.com I find is a good accurate review of a film.
Roger Ebert: The American allows George Clooney to play a man as starkly defined as a samurai. His fatal flaw, as it must be for any samurai, is love. Other than that, the American is perfect: Sealed, impervious and expert, with a focus so narrow it is defined only by his skills and his master. Here is a gripping film with the focus of a Japanese drama, an impenetrable character to equal Alain Delon's in "Le Samourai" by Jean-Pierre Melville.

See full review: http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100831/REVIEWS/100839999

Film - The American

Here is Corbijn's latest feature film. Starring George Clooney in the lead role, this is Corbijn's second feature film after Control









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ywmoXZwkA0

Exhibition - Stripping Girls (2000)

Marlene Dumas is a South African painter who is known for her contemporary ideas of racial, sexual, and social identity in which she expresses through her paintings. Between the years 1998 and 2000, Corbijn took his camera lens away from the musicians and actors and collaborated with Dumas in a new direction on something that he had never done before.

I think this quote says everything.
Corbijn: I'm looking for the person behind the surface

Home - 1999

http://www.lipanjepuntin.com/opera.php?id_autore=30&id_opera=304&artist=&artwork=Home

Soul - 1999

http://www.lipanjepuntin.com/opera.php?id_autore=30&id_opera=307&artist=&artwork=Soul

Ingrid - 1999

http://www.lipanjepuntin.com/opera.php?id_autore=30&id_opera=314&artist=&artwork=Ingrid

Krisztina - 1999

http://www.lipanjepuntin.com/opera.php?id_autore=30&id_opera=315&artist=&artwork=Krisztina

I think this was a great idea for a projec and exhibitiont. The second two pictures show us that these women are the same as any other woman walking down the street, however they are in a business where there work is seen as crude and explicit, and are treated like objects.

Corbijn generally likes to picture his subject in their normal and comfortable surroundings, whether it's film stars, musicians or other celebrities. He does the same then with these women brilliantly in this exhibition, showing us a normal side to the person and taking them out of the life that we would usually associate them with.


The exhibition took place in the following venues in 2000:
Theater Instituut, Amsterdam, Holland
S.M.A.K, Ghent, Belgium
Institut Neerlandais, Paris, France
Lipanje Puntin, Artecontemporanea, Trieste, Italy

For more images check out this website: http://www.lipanjepuntin.com/desc.php?id_autore=30 

Exhibition - Ludwig Museum (iii)

One whole room was dedicated to Depeche Mode at the Ludwig Museum on this exhibition. Here are some pictures of the band members - 23rd June:

Martin Gore, Anton Corbijn & Andrew Fletcher

http://photo.media.daum.net/foreign/view.html?cateid=1007&newsid=20090624015305682

Gore & Fletcher

http://www.museum.hu/museum/temporary_en.php?IDT=8464&ID=47

Ludwig Museum

Anton Corbijn
Work
April 29 - July 5, 2009

H-1095 Budapest, Komor Marcell u. 1.
Phone (36 1) 555 3444
Fax: (36 1) 555 3458

Exhibition - Ludwig Museum (ii)

Pictures that featured in Budapest 2009

Johnny Depp - Los Angeles 1998

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

Sean Penn - San Anselmo 1999

http://www.e-flux.com/shows/view/6697

Kylie Minogue - London 1999

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

I like the blue tone that Corbijn uses for these images. As if it's giving off this cold mysterious vibe. Of course he also does this with his famous black & white images, and also brown.

Exhibition - Ludwig Museum (i)

This exhibition ran in Budapest, Hungary from 29th April - 5th July 2009.

It featured pictures that spanned over thirty years of Corbijn's work. Mainly portraits on show, there was also video footage that was shown

http://www.museum.hu/museum/temporary_en.php?IDT=8464&ID=47

Film - Control

I am a huge movie buff, and that is part of the reason Corbijn's work appeals to me. Directing movies attracts me even more to his photography and the way his vision is expressed on to the silver screen.
In 2007, Corbijn would take the directors role in his first feature film. Corbijn stresses the point he does not like the term 'biopic', however this is about the life and death of Joy Division frontman, Ian Curtis. The film is based on the book 'Touching from a Distance' by Curtis' wife Deborah Curtis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c2_B_cWK_M



BEST FILM - Shockwaves NME Awards 2008

Corbijn: "When I came to England there were two names that meant something to me - NME and Joy Division, and I managed to work with both of them"
http://www.virginmedia.com/music/pictures/awards/nme-awards-2008.php?ssid=6


Here is a link to NME. A few words from Corbijn on the reaction of the film.
http://www.nme.com/news/nme-awards/34796

Music Video - Nirvana

In 1993, grunge band Nirvana were one of the biggest bands on the music scene. Corbijn signed up to direct the music video for the song 'Heart Shaped Box' that featured on their final studio album In Utero. The video went on to win two MTV Awards in 1994 - best art direction and best alternative video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6P0SitRwy8

A few favourites

These images jumped out at me when I first saw them. I explained why below:

Nicholas Cage - Los Angeles 1998

I really like this portrait shot. Cage looks a strong and dominant figure in this image and for some reason I think the raw material used to make the bike shows this about him. Also like the brown effect that Corbijn used.

 Massive Attack - London 1998

The thing that strikes me about this image is that I get the feeling that 3D, (centre) is missing something that's happened out of shot, as he is looking directly at the camera. Corbijn of course has directed them how to pose in this way, however it also gives the impression that each member is coming from different music backgrounds with their own musical influence and talent, and the three or as it is two now, despite different influences collaborate so well. Maybe that says something considering Mushroom (left) split from the band. Also are we supposed to read anything from the arrow pointing out 3D?

 Depeche Mode - Marrakech 1996

I love the grainy effect to this coloured image. I see a lot of Corbijn's black and white images that have the same effect, however I didn't ever think it would look good in colour, well I got that one wrong. I also like the way Gahan, our primary character at the front of the shot is out of focus, and the rest of the band are in focus in the background.

Which do you prefer?

Here is the song 'My Friends' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. There are 2 versions of this video. The first was directed by Corbijn which lead singer of the band Anthony Kiedis later said he didn't like as it wasn't realistic.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vwftjIxPgA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kT5w27YxyI

Check out the poll to the right of the screen - all answers appreciated!

Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel

Check out this album cover designed by Corbijn from 2005. I also included some comments below:

Album art

The character on the album cover is a little creature called "Tubby Goth" (by the band) and "Mister Feathers" (by the label, the webmaster and the fans.) The cover design by Anton Corbijn is a tip of the hat to a famous still photograph of The Cure's Robert Smith circa "Boys Don't Cry".
http://www.vwire.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=70&upc=09362493482

Music Video - Depeche Mode

In 1983, Corbijn directed his first music video for the song 'Beatbox' by Art of Noise. That lead to directing music videos for Echo and the Bunnymen in 1984 and Depeche Mode in 86 among others.

Here is the song 'Enjoy the Silence' by Depeche Mode, directed by Corbijn in 1990.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSKrC7dGcY

Photography 1986 - The Joshua Tree

Corbijn had built up a good relationship with U2 and in1986 they asked him to look for locations in north America that would represent a theme where the desert met civilisation. In December that same year, Corbijn brought U2 to Death Valley, California for a three day shoot. It was here that Corbijn told Bono of the significance of the Joshua Tree. With that Bono used this name for the title of their fifth studio album.

Corbijn useed a panoramic camera for these images. If you look closely at the second image, the band are slightly out of focus with the background in focus. Corbijn had never used a panoramic camera before, and was not familiar on how to use it. Excellent images though particularly the first. I like the way the band are positioned to the left of the frame showing the vast desert in the background.

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/page_photo_black_u2.htm

Book

Corbijn, A. Werk

Photography 1980s - U2

Since the mid 1980s, Corbijn has maintained a great relationship with Irish rock band U2. Here is one of his earlier pictures of the band which features in one of Corbijn's books - Werk.

Sweden 1982

Photography 1970s & 1980s

From Corbijn's book Werk, here are some of his black and white pictures of well known musicians from the 70's and 80's.

Corbijn: In the 70s and 80s I photographed man and his environment. I would encounter, say, John Martyn or Steely Dan or David Bowie and more or less take the photos where I met them. I call it my period of "looking in from the outside". I hardly ever prepared, as I didn't trust my own ideas, didn't bring lights or an assistant, and would rely completely on the location of our meeting. A lot of intuitive and nervous decisions, but somehow it worked most of the time.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/oct/27/photography.photographyfeatures1

Steely Dan - Amsterdam 1976

http://212.178.99.195/SteelyDanDatabase/index.htm

David Bowie - Chicago 1980

http://www.museum.hu/museum/temporary_en.php?IDT=8464&ID=47

Elvis Costello - Amsterdam 1977

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/page_photo_black_costello.htm

John Martyn - Heathfield 1978

http://www.huismarseille.nl/nl/collectie/fotograaf/anton-corbijn

Photography 1980s - NME

Southern Death Cult
Some of Corbijn's early work for NME in 1982
I really like these images. It gives the impression that the only available light is that of the window.
I also love the grainy effect that Corbijn brings to his images. It gives them this real raw feeling.

Ian Astbury

The Band

http://thearchive.free.fr/arch-sdeathcult.htm

Photography 1980s - Joy Division

http://badcoverversion.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/anton-corbijn-and-the-curse-of-death/

When bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash were forming in the mid 70's, Ian Curtis along with Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook formed the band Joy Division. They would become one of the first UK music acts that Corbijn would photograph.

Also Check out this interview with Corbijn: http://www.screenwize.com/archives/34

Self Portrait - anton z.

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

Self Portrait - anton v.

http://www.corbijn.co.uk/

Biography - (iii)

Although the subject of Corbijn's work is largely associated with music and film, he does not consider himself a rock photographer. He is a realist. His images seem to hold a sense of mystery behind them, of a person who we think we know so well.

Music was clearly a major passion in Corbijn's life. History shows this after it was his pictures of a concert that were featured in a magazine in 1972, when one of the bands at the gig put them forward. After his move to the UK in 1979, he started working for the New Musical Express, where he worked as their main photographer for five years. Portrait photography would become a speciality of Corbijn's with well known faces from the celebrity world being his subject matter. Everyone from musicians to actors would put themselves in front of Corbijn's lens.

Corbijn has worked for the biggest magazines in the business, from music giants Rolling Stone to the lifestyle and fashion of Vogue.

Biography - (ii)

Strijen, Netherlands

http://maps.google.com/

Biography - (i)

Corbijn was born in 1955 in a town called Strijen, which is located in the Netherlands. Right from the start it seemed music would be a huge influence in his photographic career, as he began taking pictures of open air concerts in the early 1970's. In 1979 it was British musical acts such as Joy Division and Public Image Limited that turned the head of Corbijn, in which he would make the city of London his new home. These bands were looking for a photographer who could expose a more humane image about them.

Corbijn, A. 33 Still Lives

Anton Corbijn

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1668232,00.html

The Beginning - (ii)

Corbijn has photographed some of the biggest and most respected musicians on the planet. Tom Waits, David Bowie, Miles Davis and Elvis Costello to name a few. Photographing and designing musical album covers for The Rolling Stones, U2, Depeche Mode, Metallica and R.E.M.
Not only has Corbijn made an impact in the photography world, his vision has helped him become a success in music videos and feature films.

The Beginning - (i)

In the north of the Netherlands you'll find a city named Groningen. In this city sometime during the mid to late 1970's, the band 'Herman Brood and His Wild Romance' were playing a gig at a cafe. During this gig and Brood's gigs that followed, a photographer was in the background on the road to building a high profile career in music and film photography. That photographer was Anton Corbijn.