Helmut Newton’s work can be surprising, polarising and at times even controversial. Newton’s influence across popular culture and photography cannot be denied, questioning or challenging people’s understanding of what is fashion, what is identity and what is beauty.
The Jewish Museum of Australia invited such questions in a partnership with RMIT University where students from Fashion and Photography visited HELMUT NEWTON: In Focus, where they entered into conversations, workshops and musings to determine their position on the socio-political condition and context of the image, body and fashion.
The RMIT students continued this work by critically analysing and unpacking the work of Helmut Newton within the constructs of their course, looking particularly at the contested areas between commercial and portraiture. This online exhibition features a collection of student compositions that are the result of this dynamic collaboration.
A Collaborative Student Project
School of Art | School of Fashion & Textiles
Bachelor of Photography
Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours)
Master of Fashion (Design)
RMIT University in partnership with the Jewish Museum of Australia
A project led by Dr. Alison Bennett & Dr. Ricarda Bigolin
Project coordination Chantal Kirby | Dr. Pauline Anastasiou
Blake Barns | Nirma Madhoo
Special Thanks to Belinda Anson | Professor Daniel Palmer | Eleni Papavasileiou | Jessica Bram | Noè Harsel | Theresa Powles
Augmented Reality Installation by Dr. Alison Bennett & Nirma Madhoo