THOMAS HOEPKER – THE WAY IT WAS
Amsterdam: Willemsparkweg 134H
Exhibition lasts until Saturday, May 28 2022.
Born in Munich in 1936, Hoepker ranks among the foremost German photojournalists of the late 20th century. As
such, he not only experienced but also played a defining role in the second golden age of photojournalism, after
the 1920s and ’30s. He has made photographic history not only for his contributions to magazines such as Stern,
Geo, Kristall and the Münchner Illustrierte, but also as art director, writer and filmmaker. Many of his black-and-white
photo essays rank among the greatest of photojournalism.
As a reporter for Stern, he had the opportunity to portray the boxer Muhammad Ali in 1964, continuing to do so at
regular intervals for 10 years. In 1966 Hoepker and his then wife, Stern journalist Eva Windmöller, joined the boxing
legend in London and Chicago. In 1970, Hoepker was on hand with his camera when Ali, who had been out
of the ring for some time, was preparing himself for the “fight of the century” against Joe Frazier. He met up with
him again years later when he was already debilitated by Parkinson’s. Many of these pictures are known worldwide
and have become icons of photography. They have been widely exhibited in museums and represented
in
many collections.
In 1976, Hoepker moved to New York as a correspondent for Stern and, until 1981, he was director of the American
edition of GEO. From 1987 to 1989, he worked as the Art Director of Stern in Hamburg. In 1989, he became
the first German national to be accepted by Magnum as a full member, going on to become president of the agency
from 2003 to 2006. Thomas Hoepker is now married to filmmaker Christine Kruchen; he lives and works in
New York.
More about the artist
