William Klein
1928–2022 · United States / France
The city spills beyond the frame.
The story
Initially trained in painting, William Klein developed a mobile, deliberately jarring photography in Paris and then New York. Wide angles, grain, blur and the closeness of bodies give the crowd a physical energy. His books about cities are in dialogue with his work in fashion and cinema. He used these media to unsettle conventions rather than seek a polished urban image.
Understanding the work
Look at how bodies approach the lens and cut across the edges. The apparent disorder is organised through tensions, as if the street were coming into contact with the viewer.
Key works and series
Life Is Good & Good for You in New York; Rome; Tokyo; Moscow.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
10 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
