Anton Corbijn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anton Corbijn
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Corbijn in 2012
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Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard
20 May 1955 Strijen, Netherlands
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| Years active | 1975–present |
Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard, born on May 20, 1955, is a famous Dutch artist. He is known for his amazing photographs, especially of musicians. He also directs music videos and movies.
Anton Corbijn has been the main creative person behind the look of two very famous bands, Depeche Mode and U2. For over thirty years, he has taken their photos for albums and promotions. He has also directed many of their music videos. Some of his well-known music videos include "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode and "One" by U2. He also directed "Heart-Shaped Box" for Nirvana and "Talk" for Coldplay.
Besides music videos, Anton Corbijn has directed several films. These include Control (a movie about the singer Ian Curtis), The American, A Most Wanted Man, and Life.
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Early Life and Family
Anton Corbijn was born in a town called Strijen in the Netherlands. His father was a parson, which is a type of church leader. His family moved several times because of his father's work. They lived in Hoogland and Groningen.
Anton's mother was a nurse. He has a younger brother, Maarten Corbijn, who is also a photographer and director. His grandfather was an art teacher.
Photography Work
Anton Corbijn started his career as a music photographer around 1975. He began by taking pictures of a Dutch musician named Herman Brood. These photos helped both Herman Brood and Anton Corbijn become more well-known.
In the late 1970s, Anton's photos were often featured in a weekly music newspaper in London called New Musical Express (NME). He even had his photos on the front page many times. He also contributed regularly to The Face, a popular music and lifestyle magazine.
For many years, Corbijn mostly took black-and-white photos. But in 1989, he started using color photography with special filters. His first color photo was of Siouxsie Sioux.
Corbijn has photographed many famous people. These include musicians like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, Björk, and Kate Bush. He has also photographed actors like Robert De Niro and Clint Eastwood, and even the scientist Stephen Hawking.
His most famous and longest-lasting work relationships are with the bands Depeche Mode and U2. He started working with Depeche Mode in 1986, directing a music video for their song "A Question of Time". He realized his visual style matched their music very well. Since 1993, he has designed their live concert sets. He has directed over 20 of their music videos, including "Before We Drown" in 2024. He has also designed most of their album and single covers since 1990.
With U2, Corbijn took photos of the band during their first US tour. He also took pictures for their famous albums The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. He directed several of their music videos too.
Anton Corbijn's photos have also appeared on album covers for many other artists. These include Bruce Springsteen, Nick Cave, Bryan Adams, Metallica, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, and Coldplay.
Film Directing Work
Anton Corbijn started directing music videos when a band called Palais Schaumburg asked him to make a video for their song "Hockey." After that, he directed videos for many other artists, including Depeche Mode, Roxette, and U2. His first music video in color was for U2's song "Pride (In the Name of Love)" in 1984.
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In 1994, Corbijn directed a short film for the BBC called Some Yoyo Stuff. His first full-length movie was Control, released in 2007. This film tells the story of Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the band Joy Division. The movie was very well-received at the Cannes Film Festival. It won several awards, including the CICAE Art & Essai prize for best film.
In 2010, Corbijn directed another film, a thriller called The American, starring George Clooney.
His film A Most Wanted Man came out in 2014. It was based on a book by John le Carré. In February 2014, he began filming Life, which is about the friendship between actor James Dean and photographer Dennis Stock.
In 2018, Corbijn filmed the last two concerts of Depeche Mode's Global Spirit Tour in Berlin. This footage, combined with stories from six long-time fans, became the film Spirits in the Forest. This movie was released in theaters around the world in 2019. Corbijn explained that he wanted to show why Depeche Mode was still so popular and how special their connection with their fans is.
Other Appearances and Projects
Anton Corbijn's work has also been mentioned in books. The author William Gibson included a made-up portrait by Corbijn in his 2007 novel Spook Country. Corbijn's photographs have also been used as author portraits on many of Gibson's books.
In 2009, a documentary film about Anton Corbijn was made, called Shadow Play: The Making of Anton Corbijn.
In 2011, Corbijn created an artwork called Mandela Landscape. It was a portrait of Nelson Mandela that was stitched by a Dutch textile artist. This artwork was sold to help fund an independent magazine about African talent.
In 2012, Anton Corbijn was a judge at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival. A documentary about him, Anton Corbijn Inside Out, was also shown at the festival.
Filmography
Anton Corbijn has directed many music videos and films throughout his career. Here are some examples of his work:
Music Videos (Selected)
- 1984: "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2
- 1986: "A Question of Time" by Depeche Mode
- 1988: "Atmosphere" by Joy Division
- 1989: "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode
- 1990: "Enjoy the Silence" by Depeche Mode
- 1992: "One" by U2
- 1993: "Heart-Shaped Box" by Nirvana
- 1996: "Hero of the Day" by Metallica
- 2005: "Talk" by Coldplay
- 2013: "Reflektor" by Arcade Fire
- 2023: "Ghosts Again" by Depeche Mode
Films
- 1994: Some Yoyo Stuff (Short film)
- 2007: Control
- 2010: The American
- 2014: A Most Wanted Man
- 2015: Life
- 2019: Spirits in the Forest
- 2023: Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
See also
In Spanish: Anton Corbijn para niños
