The Living Room

This intimate exhibition space was originally called “June’s Room” and was actually planned as a small apartment for Helmut and June Newton. The couple could have lived within their foundation when they visited Berlin. The idea was inspired by Heinz Berggruen’s existing apartment in the museum dedicated to him and his magnificent collection in Berlin-Charlottenburg. Some older visitors to Berlin may still remember Heinz Berggruen suddenly coming out of his apartment into the exhibition space and talking to them about the works on display. This was also what Helmut Newton had in mind, however, he died before the opening of his foundation.

So instead, in 2005, the apartment became an additional exhibition space, “June’s Room,” where works by June Newton aka Alice Springs were initially shown. Later, complementary exhibitions by Helmut Newton or by photographer friends, including Greg Gorman, Mart Engelen, Jean Pigozzi, François-Marie Banier, Jan de Wit, or Angelo Marino, the longtime assistant of Helmut and June Newton followed. The private photography collection of the two, which, in 2019, came from their joint apartment in Monaco to the Foundation´s Berlin-based archive, was also shown here.

Now, it´s changing again: when the large apartment of Helmut and June Newton in Monaco was given up after June’s death, all personal belongings, artworks, furniture as well as the entire library were transferred to Berlin in addition to photographs and archival materials – a small representative selection is now presented here. Thus, another chapter is completed at this location: “The Living Room” posthumously becomes the apartment of Helmut and June.

Interview with Philippe Garner, Vice-President of the Helmut Newton Foundation