Vernissage Zurich: Erwin Blumenfeld: Paris – New York

Feminine beauty was a decisive source of inspiration for the photographer Erwin Blumenfeld, who was born in Berlin in 1897 and lived in New York from 1941 onwards. His photographs are characterized by a unique blend of perfectionism and experimental spirit. From early on, he succeeded in making women – staged in a variety of ways – the central motif of his work. Initially influenced by Dadaism and Surrealism, he emphasized the hidden and mysterious aspects of his subjects, employing mirrors, veils, and chemical processes to create surprising, enchanting, or even shocking effects.

The exhibition Erwin Blumenfeld: Paris – New York presents rare vintage prints from his early career (1936– 1943) alongside his daring fashion photographs from his later New York years (1955–1965). These works are proof that his inventiveness and creativity never waned. On the contrary, his later works remain unmatched in their graphic power and technical mastery. Also on display is an early portrait from his Amsterdam period, documenting the beginnings of his photographic practice and marking the transition to his professional work in Paris. A new world of opportunities opened up for him at Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, where he became one of America’s most soughtafter photographers. Erwin Blumenfeld passed away in Rome in 1969. His work is represented in major museums and collections worldwide – including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris, and, the Nicola Erni Collection in Zug, Switzerland – and was celebrated in 1996 with a solo exhibition at the Kunsthaus Zürich. Galerie Andres Thalmann is honored to present, in collaboration with Marina Schinz, the second solo exhibition of Erwin Blumenfeld at Talstrasse.