“If your pictures arenʼt good enough, youʼre not close enough.”
--Robert Capa
Henry Leutwyler has carved a niche in the photography world by delving closely,
deeply, and personally into the lives of our times through the power of his
images. From his iconic still life of the gun that assassinated John Lennon, to the
2008 “Magazine Cover of the Year” honors for his New York magazine portrait of
Elliot Spitzer – Leutwyler has defined himself as an artist who drills into the soul
of his subjects.
Henry Leutwylerʼs meticulous eye for nuanced detail has revealed the unspoken
interiors of such figures as Michelle Obama, Karl Rove, Julia Roberts, Tom
Wolfe, Cate Blanchett, Beyonce Knowles, Nathan Lane, Rhianna, Martin
Scorsese, and Spike Lee. His recent work has been featured in numerous
publications including The New York Times Magazine, Portfolio, Esquire, Elle,
Vanity Fair, Vogue, The New Yorker and Time. His photography, inspired by
intimate working relationships with his subjects, has been an integral force
behind the narrative of such books as Flavor by Rocco Dispirito, Living Beauty by
Bobbi Brown, and Elvis by the Presleys.
Beyond his craftsmanship with the human mystique, Mr. Leutwyler brings a
forensic intensity to his creation of a unique collection of still lifes that chart a
cultural timeline of the modern world. Jimi Hendixʼs guitar. Michael Jacksonʼs
white glove. Andy Warholʼs paintbrush. The pistol that killed Lee Harvey Oswald.
Alfred Hitchcockʼs passport, the glasses of John Lennon and the harmonica of
Bob Dylan. From the legendary to the sublime, Henry Leutwylerʼs vast catalogue
of history-influencing images comprise a roadmap of the late 20th century,
captured with a stark reality that begs the viewer to create their own
interpretation.
Mr. Leutwylerʼs humble beginnings led him from shooting “cheese, chocolates
and watches” as a youth in Switzerland to a street-wise education soaking up
color and culture from around the world. He journeyed through Africa, Asia and
the Middle East – ultimately landing in Paris for ten years where he documented
the human form, be it draped in fashion or flying through the air in a jete with the
Ballet Bejart. New York became his adopted home and he turned his eye toward
theatre and the arts. His work encompassed Broadway campaigns for Three
Days of Rain with Julia Roberts and Glengarry Glen Ross directed by Joe
Mantello, as well as three seasons with The Manhattan Theatre Club. His images
of the New York City Ballet have graced the city streets and countless media
outlets for the past two years.
Henry Leutwylerʼs photographs have earned him the ASME 2008 Magazine
Cover of the Year award. He has been recognized as the Graphis magazine
2008 Photographer of the Year and was voted among the Top 10 Best Swiss
Photographers of 2008 by Annabelle Magazine. Other honors include the highest
recognition from The Art Directors Club of New York, The Society of Publication
Designers, Photo District News, D & AD, American Photography and the James
Beard Foundation.
Today, Henry Leutwyler crafts his probing work based out of his downtown
Manhattan studio. Simultaneously, he is a global citizen, fluent in four languages
and at ease wherever he casts his lens. Son of a Swiss father and an Italian
mother, he is constantly shaped by the precision of one and the exuberance of
another. Photographer, artist, and documentarian, Leutwylerʼs work is a
meditation on the mayhem of our times, and an investigation into what lays
ahead.