William Klein (photographer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Klein
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Klein in 2008
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| Born | April 19, 1926 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | September 10, 2022 (aged 96) Paris, France
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| Nationality | American, French |
| Education | City College of New York, La Sorbonne, studied with Fernand Léger |
| Known for | Photography, cinema, painting |
| Awards | Prix Nadar 1957 Prix Jean Vigo 2012 |
William Klein (born April 19, 1926 – died September 10, 2022) was a famous American-born French artist. He was known for his amazing work in photography and filmmaking. Klein had a special, often funny, way of looking at things. He used unusual camera tricks in his fashion photos and news pictures.
He was even ranked among the top 100 most important photographers ever. Klein first studied painting with a famous artist named Fernand Léger. He had successful art shows early in his career. Soon, he started taking photos and became very famous. He worked as a fashion photographer for Vogue magazine. He also created photo stories about different cities.
William Klein directed many movies. These included long story films, short films, and documentaries. He also made over 250 TV commercials. He won many important awards for his work. These include the Prix Nadar in 1957 and the Hasselblad Award in 1990.
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William Klein's Early Life and Art
William Klein was born in New York City. His family was not wealthy. He finished high school very early. At just 14, he went to the City College of New York. There he studied sociology, which is the study of human society.
During World War II, he joined the U.S. Army. He was sent to Germany and then France. After leaving the army, he decided to live in France permanently. In 1948, Klein went to the Sorbonne. He also studied art with the famous painter Fernand Léger. At this time, Klein was very interested in abstract painting and sculpture.
How Klein Started Photography
In 1952, Klein had two successful art shows in Italy. He also worked with an architect named Angelo Mangiarotti. Klein even tried making "kinetic art," which is art that moves. At one of his moving art shows, he met Alexander Liberman. Liberman was the art director for Vogue magazine.
Klein soon started taking photos. He became very famous as a fashion photographer for Vogue. He also made popular photo essays about different cities. Even without formal training, Klein won the Prix Nadar in 1957. He won it for his book New York. This book had photos he took during a short visit to his hometown in 1954.
Klein's photography was seen as groundbreaking. He had a unique, sometimes funny, way of looking at fashion. He didn't follow the usual rules of photography. He often used wide-angle lenses and telephoto lenses. He also used natural light and motion blur effects. Many people consider him a pioneer of street photography.
Famous Photographs by Klein
Some of Klein's most well-known photos include:
- Gun 1, New York (1955)
- The Holy family on bike (Rome, 1956)
- Cineposter (Tokyo, 1961)
- Vogue (fashion models in the streets of New York, Rome, and Paris, 1963)
- Club Allegro Fortissimo (1990)
William Klein's Films
Klein's first full-length movie was Who Are You, Polly Maggoo? (1966). It was about the fashion world. Like his other story films, Mr. Freedom and The Model Couple, it was a satire. This means it used humor to criticize something.
He directed many short and long documentaries. One famous one was Muhammad Ali: The Greatest (1969). It was about the famous boxer Muhammad Ali. Klein also made a documentary about the French Open tennis championship called The French (1982). He created over 250 TV commercials too.
Some of his films showed his strong opinions about American society. For example, the film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum once called Mr. Freedom "conceivably the most anti-American movie ever made."
William Klein's Passing
William Klein passed away in Paris on September 10, 2022. He was 96 years old.
Awards and Exhibitions
William Klein received many important awards for his work.
- 1957: Prix Nadar for his photo book New York.
- 1967: Prix Jean Vigo for his film Polly Maggoo.
- 1990: Hasselblad Award, a very prestigious photography prize.
- 1999: Centenary Medal and Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Photographic Society.
- 2012: Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award at the Sony World Photography Awards.
His work has been shown in many exhibitions around the world. A major show called William Klein: YES: Photographs, Paintings, Films, 1948–2013 was held at the International Center of Photography in New York in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: William Klein para niños
