byCarey Dunne
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Elliot Erwitt, contact sheet for “Chihuahua,” New York City (1946) (© Elliot Erwitt/ Magnum Photos)
Bruno Barbey’sshotof protesters clashing with cops in Paris in 1968; David Seymour’s photograph of a young Sophia Loren posing on her apartment balcony in 1955; David Hurn’s shots of the Beatles atAbbey Road Studios in 1964; and Thomas Hoepker’simage of Muhammad Ali flexing for the camera in Chicago in 1966: these are a few of the most famous photographs taken by members of thelegendaryphotographer cooperative Magnum Photos. The original contact sheets from these influential shoots, among many others, are now on view at Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam. They reveal thefull stories behind iconic images, the less polished shots the photographers chose to leave out.
Bruno Barbey, contact sheet for student protests in Paris (1968) (© Bruno Barbey/Magnum Photos)
In conjunction withthe exhibition, aspart of its first Magnum Seasonal Benefit, Magnumhas made prints of these contact sheets available to the public. Contact prints by legendary Magnum photographers, including Martin Parr, Eve Arnold, David Hurn, Elliot Erwitt, Bruno Barbey, Burt Glinn, Guy Le Querrec, Herbert List, Thomas Hoepker, David Seymour, and more, are available starting today. Half of the proceeds from orders of the prints will go tothe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
In the age of Photoshop and rampantretouching, the old cliche “the camera neverlies” no longer holds true. It’s stokeda national obsession with original, unedited images from high-profile photo shoots, especially of celebrities. With theprinted contact sheet becoming a thing of the past, this collection ofarchival negatives plays into that obsession, evoking nostalgia for a time when photographsseemed more trustworthy.
Guy Le Querrec, contact sheet for Paris Jazz Festival (1969) (© Guy Le Querrec / Magnum Photos)
From Burt Glinn’s shots of Elizabeth Taylor on the set ofSuddenly Last Summerto Guy Le Querrec’s documentation of the 1969 Paris Jazz Festival, they reveal how these photographers’ dynamic visions shaped their subjects’ legacies. Like reading theunedited, marked-up manuscript of a famous author, these ephemera offer insight into photographers’ creative processes — they remind youjust how much work by even the best-knownartistsnever sees the light of day.
Dennis Stock, contact sheet for James Dean, New York City (1955) (© Dennis Stock / Magnum Photos)
Martin Parr, contact sheet for The Last Resort(1985) (© Martin Parr / Magnum Photos)
Eve Arnold, contact sheet depicting Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift practicing a scene during the filming of The Misfits, Nevada, USA (1960) (© Eve Arnold / Magnum Photos)
David Seymour, contact sheet of photographs of Sophia Loren on her balcony in Italy (1955) (© David Seymour / Magnum Photos)
David Hurn, contact sheet depicting The Beatles in London’s Abbey Road Studios, where many of their most famous records were made examining the script of the film A Hard Days Night. (1964) (© David Hurn / Magnum Photos)
Thomas Hoepker, contact sheet from shoot with Muhammad Ali in Chicago (1966) (© Thomas Hoepker / Magnum Photos)
Hiroji Kubota, contact sheet of Golden Rock at Shwe Pyi Daw (© Hiroji Kubota / Magnum Photos)
Herbert List, contact sheet from shoot of dog in Italy (© Herbert List/Magnum Photos)
Burt Glinn, contact sheet from shoot of Elizabeth Taylor on the film set of Suddenly Last Summer (1959) (© Burt Glinn / Magnum Photos)
Werner Bischof, contact sheet from shoot of Swiss Mountain Peaks (1941) (© Werner Bischof / Magnum Photos)
Go here to browse the selection of historic Magnum contact prints, available for $175 each until December 1.
Magnum Contact Sheets is on view at Foam Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam (Keizersgracht 609,1017 DS Amsterdam) until December 9.
h/t FeatureShoot
Carey Dunne
Carey Dunne is a Brooklyn-based writer covering arts and culture. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, The Baffler, The Village Voice, and elsewhere.More by Carey Dunne
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