Anton Corbijn Biography and Artwork

born May 20, 1955

Anton Corbijn was born in Strijen, the Netherlands. His first photographs he took in 1972 during a live concert. In 1979, enchanted by the musical world, he moved to London, where he gets into immediate contact with the most popular bands and artists of the time: Post Punk, Joy Division, Magazine, PIL Ltd., etc. He loved music and he loved photography.

After 1985 he took a photograph only of personalities from the world of show business. He photographed for his own private analysis and for numerous magazines and reviews: Vogue, Rolling Stones, Details, Icon, The Independent Magazine, W Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, LA Style, Entertainment Weekly, Stern, Wiener, Actuel, Elle, Glamour, Max. In these magazines appeared first portraits of actors and musicians: Lee Hooker, REM, U2, Rolling Stones, Depeche Mode, Ferry, Cave, etc. At that time he attempted to direct his first video-clips. All in all he made more than 60 film-loops for wide range of artists: Joni Mitchell, Front 242, Nirvana, Henry Rollins, Naomi Campbell, Metallica, Depeche Mode, Johnny Cash, U2, David Silvian, Nick Cave.

Shortly after, in 1994, made a short subject for the BBC called Some Yo Yo Stuff?. For the video of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" he received an MTV award. At the same time he won the Dutch Photography Award. Four years later he participated in the campaign for the re-election of the Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok. And also was working in advertising: BMW and Tag Heuer.

Corbijn has published five books: Famouz (1989), Allegro (1991), Star Trak (1996), 33 Still Lives (1999), Werk (2000).

In Corbijn's photos people are pictured as earnest people, caught in calm moments, far removed from summit of their stages. "I'm a very, very basic photographer", Corbijn says. "The main strength of my pictures, I guess, is the mood and feel I get out of the people that I meet. But technically I don't think I'm very advanced. That never interested me…" His secret? "A Hasselblad, two lenses, one bag, and me."

In photography Corbijn has always depicted a quest for the occasion of break. Taking photographs, Corbijn struggled against the stealing of the real within the jumble of fantasy created by the flood of imagery.

At a time when authenticity as a revolutionary concept had long been derided, Corbijn boldly and unwaveringly entered a battle he could not win. It was a battle against the superiority of soullessly and artificially images of man. Although he was absolutely sure that the beauty and the truth of man could not exist he was looking for them in the realm of emotional perception. His task was very complicated because his subjects in this aspiration were people who were actors and could control their emotions.

Perhaps most famous for photographing U2's Joshua Tree album cover.

Select Timeline

Select Exhibitions

• 1996 – Deichtorhallen, Hamburg (Germany)
• 1996 – Galerie Anita Beckers, Darmstadt (Germany)
• 1996 – Zeno X Galerie, Antwerp (Belgium)
• 1996 – Star Track, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• 1996 – Beursschouwburg, Brussels (Belgium)
• 1996 – The Cool and the Crazy Images of Punk, Govinda Gallery , Washington ( Usa )
• 1997 – Kunstverein Arnsberg, Arnsberg (Germany)
• 1997 – Exponera, Warehause, Oslo (Norway)
• 1997 – Castello di Rivoli, Torino (Italy)
• 1997 – Fahey Klein Gallery, Los Angeles (Usa)
• 1997 – Galerie Mosel & Tschechow, Munich (Germany)
• 1997 – Galerie Anita Beckers, Darmstadt (Germany)
• 1997 – Arte Fiera, Galerie Polhammer, Bologna (Italy)
• 1997 – Fotoos, Yokohama (Japan)
• 1997 – Fotoos, Atrium, Fuknoka (Japan)
• 1997 – Fotoos, Gemeentemuseum Helmond, Helmond (The Netherlands)
• 1997 – Exponera Photofair, Gothenburg (Sweden)
• 1997 – Exponera, YFO, Stockholm (Sweden)
• 1997 – Exponera, Warehause, Malmo (Sweden)
• 1997 – Smart Show, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam (Usa)
• 1997 – Art Fair Stockholm, Galerie Magnus Aklundh, Stockholm (Sweden)
• 1998 – Dum umeni mesta Brna, Brno (Republic of Slovakia)
• 1998 – DG Bank, Frankfurt (Germany)
• 1998 – Art Cologne, Torch Gallery, Kuln (Germany)
• 1998 – Art 29 Basel, Torch Gallery, Basel (Switzerland)
• 1998 – 50 Years STERN, Fotokino, Kuln (Germany)
• 1998 – 50 Years STERN, Hamburg (Germany)
• 1998 – Kunstral / Art Amsterdam, Torch gallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• 1998 – Gramercy Art Fair, Torch Gallery, New York (Usa)
• 1999 – Still Lives, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Trieste (Italy)
• 1999 – Galerie Almine Rech, Paris (France)
• 1999 – Galerie Anita Beckers, Frankfurt (Germany)
• 1999 – Gallery Magnus Aklundh, Lund (Sweden)
• 1999 – David Beitzel Gallery, New York (Usa)
• 1999 – Outdoor Images, Temple Bar Propereties, Dublin (Ireland)
• 1999 – Kunsthalle Bremen, Bremen (Germany)
• 1999 – San Francisco Art Fair, David Beitzel Gallery, San Francisco (Usa)
• 1999 – Art Chicago, David Beitzel Gallery, Chicago (Usa)
• 1999 – Art Cologne, LipanjePuntin and Torch Gallery, Kuln (Germany)
• 1999 – Art Fair Stockholm, Gallery Magnus Aklundh, Stockholm (Sweden)
• 2000 – Museum Bochum, Bochum (Germany)
• 2000 – Strippinggirls (with Marlene Dumas), S.M.A.K., Gent (Belgium)
• 2000 – Richard Goodall Gallery, Manchester (UK)
• 2000 – Galerie Almine Rech, Paris (France)
• 2000 – Strippinggirls (with Marlene Dumas), Theatermuseum, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• 2000 – Werk, Groninger Museum, Groningen (The Netherlands)
• 2000 – Oksnehallen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
• 2000 – Torch Gallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• 2000 – Still in Motion, Palazzo Frisacco, Tolmezzo (Udine) (Italy)
• 2000 – Art Cologne, LipanjePuntin and Torch Gallery, Kuln (Germany)
• 2000 – Supermodel: Identity and Transformation, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Trieste (Italy)
• 2000 – Art Brussels, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Brussels (Belgium)
• 2000 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)
• 2001 – Strippinggirls, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Trieste (Italy)
• 2001 – Strippinggirls (with Marlene Dumas), Institut Nnerlandais, Paris (France)
• 2001 – Museum Dresden, Dresden (Germany)
• 2001 – Muncher Stadtmuseum, Munich (Germany)
• 2001 – Galeria Valle Quintana, Madrid (Spain)
• 2001 – Casa de Vacas, Madrid (Spain)
• 2001 – Govinda Gallery, Washington (Usa)
• 2001 – Anton Corbijn, NRW, Dusseldorf (Germany)
• 2001 – Artissima, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Torino (Italy)
• 2001 – Art Cologne, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Kuln (Germany)
• 2001 – MiArt, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Milano (Italy)
• 2001 – Arco, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Madrid (Spain)
• 2001 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)
• 2002 – Anton Corbijn, Futurshow, Bologna (Italy)
• 2002 – Mortals, oksnehallen, Copenhagen (Denmark)
• 2002 – Herman Brood – Anton Corbijn, COBRA Museum, Amstelveen (The Netherlands)
• 2002 – a. somebody, strijen, holland, Torch Gallery, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
• 2002 – WERK, Regional Museum, Kristianstad (Sweden)
• 2002 – Leica Gallery, Prague (Czech Republic)
• 2002 – Lithprints, Cameraworks, Berlin (Germany)
• 2002 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)
• 2002 – Arco, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Madrid (Spain)
• 2002 – MiArt, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Milano (Italy)
• 2002 – Artissima, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Torino (Italy)
• 2003 – Anton Corbijn, Galleria d'Arte Moderna, Bologna (Italy)
• 2003 – a. somebody, strijen, holland, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Trieste (Italy)
• 2003 – Everybody Hurts, Kestner Gesellschaft, Hannover (Germany)
• 2003 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)
• 2003 – ARCO, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Madrid (Spain)
• 2003 – MiArt, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Milano (Italy)
• 2003 – Melting Pop, Palazzo delle Papesse, Siena (Italy)
• 2003 – Not Ordinary People, Galleria In Arco, Torino (Italy)
• 2004 – Anton Corbijn, Palazzo Fortuny, Venezia ( Italy )
• 2004 – Arco, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Madrid (Spain)
• 2004 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)
• 2005 – Arte Fiera, LipanjePuntin artecontemporanea, Bologna (Italy)

Select Videography

• Hockey – Palais Schaumburg (1983)
• Beat Box – Art of Noise (1984)
• Dr. Mabuse – Propaganda (1984)
• Red Guitar – David Sylvian (1984)
• Seven Seas – Echo & the Bunnymen (1984)
• The Ink in the Well – David Sylvian (1984)
• Pride (In the Name of Love) (third version) – U2 (1984)
• Bring on the Dancing Horses – Echo & the Bunnymen (1985)
• Quiet Eyes – Golden Earring (1986)
• A Question of Time – Depeche Mode (1986)
• Bedbugs and Ballyhoo – Echo & the Bunnymen (1987)
• Strangelove – Depeche Mode (1987)
• Pimpf – Depeche Mode (1987)
• The Game – Echo & the Bunnymen (1987)
• Never Let Me Down Again – Depeche Mode (1987)
• Lips Like Sugar (first version) – Echo & the Bunnymen (1987)
• Behind the Wheel – Depeche Mode (1987)
• Welcome to Paradise – Front 242
• My Secret Place – Joni Mitchell with Peter Gabriel (1988)
• Blueprint – Rainbirds (1988)
• Atmosphere – Joy Division (1988)
• Headhunter – Front 242 (1988)
• Faith and Healing – Ian McCulloch (1989)
• Sea of Time – Rainbirds (1989)
• White City of Light – Rainbirds (1989)
• Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode (1989)
• Killer Wolf – Danzig (1990)
• Enjoy the Silence (first version) – Depeche Mode (1990)
• Policy of Truth – Depeche Mode (1990)
• World in My Eyes – Depeche Mode (1990)
• May This Be Your Last Sorrow – Banderas (1990)
• Clean – Depeche Mode (1991)
• Marie – Herbert Gronemeyer (1991)
• Two Faces – Rainbirds (1991)
• Tragedy (For You) – Front 242 (1991)
• Halo – Depeche Mode (1991)
• Front By Front – Front 242 (1992)
• Hail Hail Rock 'n' Roll – Garland Jeffreys (1992)
• Lover Lover Lover – Ian McCulloch (1992)
• One (original version) – U2 (1992)
• Straight To You – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (1992)
• Dirty Black Summer – Danzig (1992)
• Do I Have to Say the Words? – Bryan Adams (1992)
• I Feel You – Depeche Mode (1993)
• Walking In My Shoes – Depeche Mode (1993)
• Condemnation (first version) – Depeche Mode (1993)
• Heart–Shaped Box – Nirvana (1993), winner MTV Video Music Award for Best Alternative Video
• Delia's Gone – Johnny Cash (1994)
• Mockingbirds – Grant Lee Buffalo (1994)
• In Your Room – Depeche Mode (1994)
• Liar – Henry Rollins (1994)
• Love & Tears – Naomi Campbell (1994)
• Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? – Bryan Adams (1995)
• My Friends (song) (first version) – Red Hot Chili Peppers (1995)
• Hero of the Day – Metallica (1996)
• Mama Said – Metallica (1996)
• Barrel of a Gun – Depeche Mode (1997)
• It's No Good – Depeche Mode (1997)
• Useless – Depeche Mode (1997)
• Please (first version) – U2 (1997)
• Bleibt Alles Anders – Herbert Gronemeyer (1998)
• Fanatisch – Herbert Gronemeyer (1998)
• Goddess on a Hiway (second version) – Mercury Rev (1998)
• Salvation – Roxette (1999)
• Opus 40 (first version) – Mercury Rev (1999)
• Stars – Roxette (1999)
• Chemical (first version) – Joseph Arthur (2000)
• In The Sun – Joseph Arthur (2000)
• Invalid Litter Dept. – At the Drive–In (2001)
• Freelove (second version) – Depeche Mode (2001)
• Mensch – Herbert Gronemeyer (2002)
• Electrical Storm – U2 (2002)
• Re–Offender – Travis (2003)
• Zum Meer – Herbert Gronemeyer (2003)
• All These Things That I've Done (second version) – The Killers (2005)
• Talk – Coldplay (2005)
• Suffer Well – Depeche Mode (2005)

Select Album/CD Covers

• 1979 – Steely Dan - Greatest Hits (gatefold)
• 1982 – Captain Beefheart - Ice Cream for Crow
• 1984 – U2 - Unforgettable Fire
• 1987 – U2 - The Joshua Tree
• 1988 – U2 - Rattle and Hum
• 1988 – Echo & The Bunnymen - Echo & The Bunnymen
• 1988 – Herb Alpert - Under a Spanish Moon
• 1988 – Morrissey - Viva Hate
• 1988 – Herbert Gronemeyer - What's All This
• 1988 – John Hiatt - Slow Turning
• 1989 – Rainbirds - Call Me Easy Say I'm Strong
• 1989 – Depeche Mode - 101
• 1990 – Depeche Mode - Violator
• 1990 – Herbert Gronemeyer - Luxus
• 1991 – U2 - Achtung Baby
• 1991 – Bruce Cockburn - Nothing but a Burning Light
• 1991 – Billy Bragg the Peel Session Album - Strange Fruit
• 1991 – Sam Phillips - Cruel Inventions
• 1991 – R.E.M. - Automatic for the People
• 1992 – Bon Jovi - Keep the Faith
• 1992 – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream
• 1992 – Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion
• 1992 – Noir Desir - Tostaky
• 1992 – Andy White - Out There
• 1992 – Bryan Ferry - Taxi
• 1993 – Herbert Gronemeyer - Chaos
• 1993 – Aimee Mann - Whatever
• 1993 – Johnny Hallyday - Rough Town
• 1994 – Andy White - Destination Beautiful
• 1994 – Bon Jovi - Crossroads
• 1995 – Clannad - Macalla
• 1995 – Electrafixion - Burned
• 1995 – The Rolling Stones - Stripped
• 1995 – Adam Ant - Wonderful
• 1995 – Zucchero - SpiritoDiVino
• 1995 – John Lee Hooker - Chill Out
• 1995 – Andy White - Teenage
• 1996 – Dreams Come True - Love Unlimited
• 1996 – J.J. Cale - Guitar Man
• 1996 – Skunk Anansie - Stoosh
• 1996 – U2 - POP
• 1996 – Metallica - Load (inside)
• 1996 – Gary Lucas - Gods and Monsters
• 1997 – Depeche Mode - Ultra
• 1997 – Nick Cave - The Boatman's Call
• 1997 – John Lee Hooker - Don't Look Back
• 1997 – Bee Gees - Still Waters
• 1997 – Jon Bon Jovi - Destination Anywhere
• 1997 – Echo & The Bunnymen - Ballyhoo (the best of)
• 1997 – Metallica - Reload (inside)
• 1997 – Ulf Lundell - Man utan Kvinnor
• 1998 – Metallica - Garage Inc.
• 1998 – Jimmy Page, Robert Plant - Walking into Clarksdale
• 1998 – Bee Gees - One Night Only
• 1998 – U2 - The Best Of 1980–1990 (inside)
• 1999 – Howie B - Snatch
• 1999 – Eliades Ochoa - Sublime Illusion
• 1999 – Metallica - S&M
• 1999 – David Sylvian - Dead Bees on a Cake (inside)
• 2000 – Mansun - Little Kix
• 2000 – U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
• 2000 – Jose Merce - Aire
• 2001 – Depeche Mode - Exciter
• 2001 – Tricky - Blowback
• 2001 – Fad Gadget - The Best Of
• 2001 – Herman Brood - My Way; the Hits
• 2001 – Station 17 - Hitparade
• 2002 – U2 - The best of 1990-2000 (inside)
• 2002 – Foo Fighters - One By One (inside)
• 2002 – Bombay 1 - Me Like You
• 2003 – Sophie Zelmani - Love Affair
• 2003 – Michael Franti - Everyone Deserves Music
• 2003 – Per Gessle - Mazarin
• 2003 – BrainStorm - A Day Before Tomorrow
• 2003 – Travis - 12 Memories
• 2003 – Lene Marlin - Another Day
• 2003 – Metallica - St. Anger (inside)
• 2003 – R.E.M. - In Time; The Best of R.E.M. (inside)
• 2004 – U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
• 2004 – Saybia - These are the Days
• 2004 – Bee Gees - Number Ones
• 2005 – Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel
• 2005 – Bruce Springsteen - Devils & Dust
• 2006 – The Killers - Sam's Town
• 2006 – Depeche Mode - Songs of Faith and Devotion / Remastered
• 2006 – Depeche Mode - Violator / Remastered
• 2006 – Echo & The Bunnymen - The Very Best of; More Songs to Learn and Sing
• 2006 – Jose Merce - Lo Que No Se Da

Quotes

• "When I portrait artists, I try to document their lives and show that to the world in a stimulating fashion."

Publications

• Famouz Photographs 1975–88, (1989), Schirmer/ Mosel
  • Originally published in 1989 (grey cover, title 1976–88) with a quote from Dieter Meier
  • Re–published in 1997 (Bowie cover, title 1975–88) with a preface by Bono.
• Strangers Depeche Mode, (1991), CPC Publishing
• Allegro (1991), Schirmer/ Mosel
• Grönemeyer, Photographien von Anton Corbijn (1993), Schirmer/ Mosel
• Star Trak (1996), Schirmer/ Mosel
• 33 Still Lives (1999), Schirmer/ Mosel
• Stripping Girls (2000), with Marlene Dumas
• Werk (2000), Schirmer/ Mosel
• A. Somebody, Strijen, Holland (2002), Schirmer/ Mosel
• Everybody Hurts (2003), Schirmer/ Mosel
• U2 & I (2005), Schirmer/ Mosel, 2005

Quick Facts

• Corbijn tends to eschew traditional glamour photography, instead favoring a rawer look, often in black–and–white. His subjects appear to be calm and far removed from everyday life. His photographs show raw emotion.

Keywords

Anton Corbijn, Anton Corbijn Artwork, Anton Corbijn Biography, Anton Corbijn art, Anton Corbijn photography, Anton Corbijn photograph, Anton Corbijn bio, Anton Corbijn album cover, Anton Corbijn lithograph, Anton Corbijn print, Anton Corbijn poster, Anton Corbijn exhibition, Anton Corbijn gallery, Anton Corbijn picture, Anton Corbijn photography, Anton Corbijn visual art, Anton Corbijn modern art, Anton Corbijn printmaker, Anton Corbijn black and white, Anton Corbijn color, Anton Corbijn art book, Anton Corbijn exhibit, Anton Corbijn artwork, Anton Corbijn Painting, Anton Corbijn painter, Anton Corbijn sculptor, Anton Corbijn perfomance, Anton Corbijn cd cover, Anton Corbijn lp cover art, Anton Corbijn popart, Anton Corbijn pop art, Anton Corbijn work, Anton Corbijn works, Anton Corbijn rockstar photographer, Anton Corbijn music video, Anton Corbijn videographer, Anton Corbijn cover art