Book Club | Helmut Newton: BABY SUMO

Brains : Meet

06 November 2020

Most know Helmut Newton as a juggernaut within the fashion photography sphere, but did you know that he is also one within publishing?

In 1999, Newton decided to venture into the unprecedented with his artistic tome, SUMO: a 464 compendium of full page images that celebrated his continuous career. Praised for its flawless technical production and unusual weight of 35 kilos, he set the bar as to how photography should be presented.

It goes without saying that it wasn’t famed just for its extraordinary weight; Newton’s beautiful photography certainly contributed to its success. The first 10,000 limited edition copies, which were signed by Newton himself, sold out soon after its release, which quickly multiplied its value. It almost instantly became a must-have for fans of photography, and the book’s cultural significance has become so noteworthy, it can be found in numerous important collections around the world, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art. As well as breaking records for its mass and influence, SUMO copy number one, which was autographed by over 100 of the book’s featured celebrities, also broke the record for the most expensive book of the 20th century, selling at auction in Berlin on April 6, 2000 for 620,000 German Marks.

Fast forward 20 years, and the next generation of SUMO is here. Released on Newton’s 100th birthday, BABY SUMO, contains over 400 images of breathtaking images that still exude the same quality of pictorial excellence that the original had. Edited by his wife, June Newton, the baby is likewise published in a limited edition of 10,000 copies and comes with a detailed booklet documenting the making of this major publishing event. Art-history aficionados, this isn’t one to miss!