William Klein is an American artist known for his unconventional style of abstract photography. Although similar in subject matter to other documentary photographers such as Diane Arbus and Saul Leiter, as well as fashion photographers Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, Klein’s images broke away from established modes through his use of high-grain film and wide angles to create his often out-of-focus black-and-white prints. “I feel like I'm showing something other people haven't shown,” the artist has said of his practice. Born on April 19, 1928 in New York, NY, Klein studied painting and worked briefly as Fernand Léger’s assistant in Paris, but never received formal training in photography. An inspiration to other artists such as Daido Moriyama, Klein continues to paint, photograph, film, and work within graphic design. He lives and works in Paris, France.
