Helmut Newton: Sumo
List Price:
Our Price: $94.50
You Save: $55.50 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $80.32 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Editor: June NewtonPhotographer: Helmut Newton
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); French (Original Language); German (Original Language); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-09-21
ISBN: 3836517302
Number of pages: 480
Publisher: TASCHEN America Llc
Book Reviews of Helmut Newton: Sumo
Book Review: SUMO - 10th Anniversary Edition - Helmut Newton (Taschen)
Summary: 5 Stars
It's hard to believe that it has been 10 years since the Taschen art book house set the world of book publishing on its ear with the publication of the world's largest mass production book, `Sumo' by Helmut Newton. The 66 pound, 20 by 27.5 inch book was originally issued as a signed, limited edition volume complete with its own chrome viewing stand designed by modern artist Philippe Starck.
Now, upon the 10th anniversary of it's publication, comes `Sumo' the coffee table sized edition for those who either couldn't afford the $10,000 first edition or for who (like us) the massive original was just too unwieldy to manage for ease of viewing. Either way, `Sumo' is back and it exists to showcase and celebrate what is undoubtedly one of the world's premiere photographers and his most famous sexy, edgy, (largely) black and white work.
Newton, who died in a car accident outside Hollywood's legendary Chateau Marmont hotel shortly after the book's original publication, was beyond compare when it came to his stark and somewhat controversial portraits of the world's rich and famous as well as many of the world's top models and even downright ordinary people. `Sumo' captures all of Newton's most famous photographs including subjects such as Princess Caroline, Brigitte Neilsen, Salvador Dali, Iman, David Bowie (separately), David Lynch and Isabella Rossellini (together) Nicholas Cage, Darryl Hannah and countless others. His oft-times German (and even Nazi) influenced, S&M images of models from Hollywood to Paris remain as strikingly vibrant and cutting edge as they were when originally shot. The full page and double truck layout of the photos add to the dramatic impact in both versions as well.
In preparation for this smaller, coffee table edition, the makers (presumably June Newton) went back and reviewed each of the photo pages to see if any improvements could be made. The result are a relatively small number of substitute photos (Winnie on Deck, Cannes or Romy Schneider, for example) or alternative takes usually just a few frames apart from the original shot selection. The main pros and cons are basically that the new version is immensely easier to view than the poster size original, while the impact of the larger format pages is somewhat lost, especially on the double truck photos which are nearly larger than life in the first edition.
Overall, the price tag is probably the great equalizer. Now, for the first time, the brilliance of `Sumo' is available to the masses. After a ten year wait that may be the best news of all. Either way, this is easily one of the most impressive photo art books ever assembled. While the stand and weight add to the aura of majesty, `Sumo' stands on it's own as one of the greatest art books ever. Yes, ever.
Summary of Helmut Newton: Sumo
The biggest, most lavish book production of the 20th century is back!SUMO was a titanic book in every respect: a 480-page tribute to the 20th century's most influential, intriguing and controversial photographer, breaking records for weight and dimensions. Fifty people worked with Helmut and June Newton for three years to complete a book that weighed 30kg (66lbs). But size wasn't everything. Control and quality - printing, paper, binding - were all critical in making SUMO a worldwide publishing sensation, which is in many famous collections all around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Now, 10 years after the original publication, SUMO is back in a more economical edition, but one with the same DNA as its unique progenitor.
The original SUMO, edited by June Newton, featured over 350 pictures, most published for the first time, covering every aspect of Newton's outstanding career: from the stunning fashion images that influenced generations of younger photographers, to his powerful, erotic nudes and celebrity portraits. Also included is a booklet with a 'making of' section, detailing the meticulous selection process, and the trial and error, experiment and innovation that went into creating the original SUMO, the book that redefined the photographic monograph.
However, proud owners of the new edition won't wrestle with their copy of SUMO. It comes with a unique stand for displaying the book at home:
Artists, A-Z Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Artists, A-Z Books
Rembrandt: His Life, His Paintingsby Gary Schwartz
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1991-11-05; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $48.50
Life with Lowryby Tilly Marshall
Hutchinson; Published: 1981-02-16; Hardcover; Book
Andrew Wyeth: A Secret Lifeby Richard Meryman
Harper; Published: 1996-10-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.99
Price in other shops:
Georg Baselitz: Paintings 1964-67 [exhibition: May 1-31, 1985]by Georg Baselitz
Anthony d'Offay Gallery; Paperback; Book
Florence and Its Beauty: A Practical Guidebook to the Town and Its Monuments with 350 Illustrations and a Plan of the Principal Places of Interestby Sandra Orienti
G. Ramella - Florence, Italy; Published: 1956; Unknown Binding; Book
Lord of the Rings Sketchbookby Alan Lee
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2008-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Picassoby Patrick O'Brian
Harvill; Published: 1994; Paperback; Book
The Art of Adventureby Galen Rowell
Collins Pub San Francisco; Published: 1989-09; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $16.92
Price in other shops:
Calder JewelryOther Distribution; Published: 2007-12-17; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $360.00
POPism: The Warhol Sixtiesby Andy Warhol, Pat Hackett
Mariner Books; Published: 2006-09-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.58
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
PradaAbrams; Published: 2010-02-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $78.74
Price in other shops:
Carine Roitfeld: Irreverentby Carine Roitfeld
Rizzoli; Published: 2011-10-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $63.00
Price in other shops:
Mario Testino: Portraitsby Mario Testino
Bulfinch; Published: 2002-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $53.44
Price in other shops:
David LaChapelle: Heaven To Hell (GO)by David LaChapelle
Perseus; Taschen; Published: 2010-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.38
Price in other shops:
In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazineby Alberto Oliva, Norberto Angeletti
Rizzoli; Published: 2006-09-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $47.25
Price in other shops:
Tom Fordby Tom Ford, Bridget Foley
Rizzoli; Published: 2008-11-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $85.00
Price in other shops:
Avedon Fashion 1944-2000by Carol Squiers, Vincent Aletti, Philippe Garner, Willis Hartshorn
Abrams; Published: 2009-06-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $59.95
Price in other shops:
Helmut Newton: PolaroidsTaschen; Published: 2011-08-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $37.79
Price in other shops:
Helmut Newton: White Womenby Helmut Newton
Schirmer/Mosel; Published: 2010-03-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $31.25
Price in other shops:
Annie Leibovitz at Workby Annie Leibovitz
Random House; Published: 2008-11-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.94
Price in other shops: