Anton Corbijn Wins KLM Paul Huf Award 2004 (Press Release)

12 марта 2004

AMSTELVEEN, March 01, 2004

Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn has won the KLM Paul Huf Award 2004. The award will be presented to Corbijn by KLM President & CEO Leo van Wijk on Sunday, March 14, which would have been Paul Huf's 80th birthday.

The jury's decision to present this career achievement award to Corbijn was largely motivated by the photographer's highly recognizable style. Corbijn's photographs of some of the world's greatest musicians, artists, authors and film stars not only portray the celebrities themselves, but also capture the true essence of their personalities. Corbijn's photos give you the feeling that you are seeing and experiencing more than has actually been depicted," said the jury in its report. Corbijn's work is characterized by powerful images that are candid and sometimes raw, but never rough. His work is evocative and subdued, expressing great reverence for the person being portrayed. When Corbijn delivers a portrait of the artist, he also presents his calling card carrying his visual signature."

Anton Corbijn's first photos, taken at age 17, were immediately published in a music magazine. Upon completing high school, he attended the School of Photography in the Hague. He soon established himself as a freelance photographer, however, finding great inspiration in the punk movement of the era. His love of music and adventure took him to London in 1979, where he has lived ever since. The world is Corbijn's work space, rather than the studio, and it has inspired him to portray a wide range of subjects and their surroundings.

Corbijn has had an immense influence on the manner in which celebrities are depicted, and has continually strived to innovate his own approach to the genre. He has achieved worldwide fame with his portraits of stars like Miles Davis, David Bowie, Isabella Rossellini, Clint Eastwood, Bjцrk, Allen Ginsberg, Johnny Cash, Keith Richards, Lance Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and U2 (whom he has been portraying for the past 22 years).

But Corbijn is more than just a photographer. He also designs posters and CD-covers, directs videos and short films, and has designed sets for bands like Depeche Mode. His film Devotional, a compilation of live performances by Depeche Mode, was nominated for a Grammy Award, and he received an MTV Award for his video "Heart-Shaped Box," featuring Nirvana. Corbijn has also published ten photo books, and the Groninger Museum put on a highly successful exhibition of his work in 2000.

According to the jury, Corbijn's work has evolved from an intuitive to a more conceptual approach, without losing any affinity for its subject matter. This year the jury consisted of Ron Wunderink (chairman), Judith Cahen, Adriaan Monshouwer, Laura Samsom, and Ken Wilkie.

The KLM Paul Huf Award consists of EUR 20,000 in prize money. The first award went to the Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani in 1999, the second went to Co Rentmeester in 2001, and the third went to Annie Leibovitz in 2002.

The award, established in 1999 in honor of KLM's 80th anniversary, was named after Paul Huf in celebration of his 75th birthday that year. Paul Huf worked on assignment for KLM for over 50 years. The KLM Paul Huf Award will next be presented in 2006.

The KLM Paul Huf Junior Award was established in 2002, in memory of Paul Huf, who passed away in January of that year. In keeping with the spirit of Paul Huf, this award acknowledges and aims to promote the skills and professionalism of young photographers. This prize was first awarded to Sun H. Borger (23) in the spring of 2003. She recently completed a KLM-commissioned assignment that will be on show at the presentation of the 2004 award. Sun H. Borger studied photography at the Minerva Academy of the Hanzehogeschool in Groningen. The KLM Paul Huf Junior Award will next be awarded in 2005.

This material has been produced by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.