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David HamiltonEnglish photographer and film director, famous for his photographs of nude young women and girls
Date of Birth: 15.04.1933
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- David Hamilton: An English Photographer and Filmmaker
- Controversy and Criticism
- Final Years and Controversies
David Hamilton: An English Photographer and Filmmaker
Early Life and CareerDavid Hamilton was born on April 15, 1933, in London, England, where he grew up. His schooling was interrupted by the Second World War, and as one of the evacuees, David spent some time in the rural countryside of Dorset, where he drew inspiration for some of his works. After the war, Hamilton returned to London and continued his education. His artistic talent began to emerge while working at an architect's office. At the age of 20, David traveled to Paris, where he worked as a graphic designer for Peter Knapp at 'Elle' magazine. Having achieved success and recognition, Hamilton left 'Elle' and moved to 'Queen' magazine in London, where he became the art director. Realizing his love for Paris, David returned to the French capital and became the art director of 'Printemps,' the largest department store in Paris. Gradually, Hamilton shifted his focus to commercial photography while still holding his position at the department store. His unique style of hazy, grainy images quickly made him successful. His photographs were in demand in various magazines, including 'Réalités,' 'Twen,' and 'Photo.' By the late 1960s, David's work became recognizable, and he went on to release several albums that sold millions of copies, directed five feature films, and exhibited his work in galleries and museums. In December 1977, an exhibition of Hamilton's photographs was held at the 'Images Gallery' in Manhattan, coinciding with the release of his film 'Bilitis,' which was aimed at an adult audience.
Controversy and Criticism
Hamilton's softly-focused photographic style, for which he became known, made a comeback in leading fashion publications such as 'Vogue' and 'Elle' around 2003. David was romantically involved with model Mona Kristensen, who posed for some of his early albums. He helped Kristensen make her debut on the big screen by offering her the role of Melissa in the erotic melodrama 'Bilitis.' Later, the photographer married Gertrude Hamilton, who participated in the creation of his book 'The Age of Innocence.' The couple divorced amicably. Hamilton divided his time between Saint-Tropez and Paris. In 2005, David's popularity experienced a revival, and the following year, he released two new albums: 'David Hamilton, a collection of captioned photographs' and 'Erotic Tales,' accompanied by the photographer's fictional stories. As much of Hamilton's work featured images of young teenage girls, often nude, it is not surprising that he faced criticism and found himself at the center of debates about the boundaries of acceptability, similar to Sally Mann and Jock Sturges. Some of Hamilton's albums were banned in South Africa for moral reasons. In the late 1990s, conservative Christian groups in America protested unsuccessfully against the existence of stores selling albums of Hamilton's photographs. In 2005, Chris Warne, writing for 'The Guardian,' commented that disputes over whether Hamilton's photographs were considered art or pornography had been ongoing for a long time. In 2005, a man convicted of possessing 19,000 images of children also had Hamilton's photographs in his possession. The confiscated images were deemed some of the most indecent. Glenn Holland, a representative of the photographer, responded to the incident, stating, "We are deeply saddened and disappointed by what has happened as David is one of the most successful photographic artists the world has ever known. His albums sell in the millions." In 2010, another man was convicted of possessing four albums, including Hamilton's 'The Age of Innocence' and Sally Mann's 'Still Time,' and the contents were treated as Level 1 child pornography. However, the verdict was overturned in 2011, with the judge calling the charges "grossly unfair" and criticizing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for pursuing the case. The judge stated that if the CPS wanted to establish whether the images were indecent, they should have dealt with the publisher or the retailer, not the individual buyer.
Final Years and Controversies
On October 22, 2016, during the French talk show 'Salut les Terriens!,' host Thierry Ardisson accused Hamilton of being the alleged rapist of television presenter Flavie Flament. According to Flament, the assault occurred when she was 13 years old in Cap d'Agde, a resort town in the Hérault department in southern France. Flament mentioned the incident in her novel 'La consolation,' which she claimed was based on her real-life experience. However, Flament's brother questioned some revelations from her book. On November 22, 2016, Hamilton issued a statement threatening legal action against his accusers. When contacted by the French news agency AFP, he maintained his innocence, stating, "I have done nothing wrong." He also confirmed that he took a portrait of Flament 29-30 years ago, which she used as the cover for her novel 'La consolation.' On November 17, 2016, the weekly news magazine 'L'Obs' published anonymous statements from three other former models who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Hamilton. On November 25, 2016, David was found unconscious in his apartment in Paris and soon after passed away. The circumstances of his death remain unclear.
