"Helmut Newton. Cars."

As part of the FuoriConcorso edition ‘KraftMeister’, the open-air exhibition ‘Helmut Newton. Cars’ opened in mid-May on Lake Como. A fitting location: Newton himself associated a lot with Como, returning there time and again, especially in the 1970s, favouring the Villa d'Este with its famous garden. 

The Villa Olmo, also located three kilometres south on the lake shore, has a similarly beautiful garden. Here Newton's passion for cars and fashion is currently being presented to the public for the first time: On display are 20 large-format works, created between 1956 and 2001, which show the automobile through Newton's unmistakable lens.

One person who also lives his passion for fashion and cars is Guglielmo Miani - President of the luxury label Larusmiani, founder of FuoriConcorso and initiator of the exhibition. He told us what else connects the two in an interview.

Mr Miani, “Helmut Newton. Cars.” is the first exhibition on this theme in Newton’s oeuvre. What fascinates you about Newton’s perspective on the automobile?

I was a teenager admiring him shooting for hours in Monaco. Newton was a perfectionist who seemed to achieve perfection with apparent ease. All in all, what a perfect way to celebrate the maestro at FuoriConcors, KraftMeister edition.

Is there a motif in Newton's work that you would describe as a personal favourite?

I have always been drawn to those images where stillness and movement coexist, where a car seems simultaneously frozen and about to disappear over the horizon.

What, for you personally, constitutes the specific aura of the area around Como?

Like any other place, Como is unique in its own way. Como is fortunate to have the perfect blend of nature, culture and beauty. All of this combined makes it even more special and magical. It is a place that has always attracted people of refinement, not because it is fashionable, but because it is genuinely, quietly extraordinary. For FuoriConcorso, there was never any other possible setting to start our journey of events and gathering around the world.

What connecting nuances do photography, fashion and cars share? And where, in your opinion, are the biggest differences?

They all begin with the same question: how do we give form to an idea? Photography captures a moment and makes it permanent. Fashion accompanies a person through time and becomes part of their identity. The automobile translates freedom and ambition into something you can hold, drive, inhabit. Therefore, there are no real differences. The truly great photograph, the impeccably crafted garment, the iconic car: all of them, when they reach that rare threshold of genuine excellence, become timeless.

You can visit the exhibition on Lake Como until 30 June. All information can be found here:

→ "Helmut Newton. Cars."