Helmut Newton: SUMO

HELMUT NEWTON: SUMO stands as a landmark photography book, measuring 20 x 27.5 inches and weighing 66 pounds. Published by Taschen in 1999, the book features over 400 images spanning Newton's career, bound in a volume that required a custom-designed table by Philippe Starck. Each copy is numbered and signed by Newton himself, with the original limited edition of 10,000 copies becoming a collector's item. The photographs encompass Newton's fashion photography, celebrity portraits, and artistic nudes - representing his work for Vogue, Elle, Playboy and other publications from the 1950s through the 1990s. The scale and production quality of SUMO transforms Newton's photographs into near-life-sized artworks, creating a gallery experience in book form. This mammoth undertaking redefined the boundaries between photography books and art objects, influencing how photography could be presented and consumed in print form. The book serves as both a celebration of Newton's vision and a statement about photography's place in high art, challenging conventional formats through its sheer physical presence and uncompromising reproduction quality.

Readers call this photography book a status symbol and conversation piece due to its massive size (over 65 pounds) and included Philippe Starck display stand. Many note it serves more as an art object than a practical book to read. Likes: - Print quality and paper stock exceed expectations - Historical value as a limited edition collector's item - Comprehensive collection spanning Newton's career - Inclusion of rare/unpublished photos Dislikes: - Price point ($15,000+ for original edition) - Too large and heavy to practically handle - Storage challenges due to size - Some find the content provocative or offensive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.5/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (31 ratings) One collector noted: "The engineering of the stand is remarkable - it needs to be, to hold a book this size securely." Another reviewer said: "Unless you're a serious collector with dedicated display space, the smaller anniversary edition makes more sense."

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📸 At its 1999 release, SUMO was the largest and most expensive book published in the 20th century, measuring 20 x 27.5 inches and weighing 66 pounds. 🎯 Each copy of the first edition came with its own Philippe Starck-designed metal stand, turning the book itself into a piece of furniture and art installation. 💫 Copy #1 of SUMO, signed by many of the celebrities photographed by Newton, was auctioned at Christie's in 2000 for $430,000 - a record price for a book published in the 20th century. 📷 The book features over 400 of Newton's most iconic photographs, including his provocative fashion shoots for Vogue and his "Big Nudes" series that revolutionized fashion photography. 🌟 Only 10,000 copies of the original SUMO were produced, each one numbered and signed by Helmut Newton himself, making it one of the most coveted collector's items in photography and publishing.