“I was motivated by a genuine curiosity. After all, life has taught us to control and disguise our facial expressions, but it has not taught us to control our jumps. I wanted to see famous people reveal in a jump their ambition or their lack of it, their self-importance or their insecurity, and many other traits.”
– Philippe Halsman
In the early 1950s, Philippe Halsman began capturing the first photographs in a series that would come to be simply and famously known as Jump. After each portrait session, Halsman invited his subjects to leap into the air, capturing them mid-jump. His unconventional request was rooted in a profound insight: “When a person jumps, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears.”
This exhibition showcases Halsman’s groundbreaking work, revealing spontaneous moments of joy, vulnerability, and authenticity. Through Jump, Halsman transformed portraiture, inviting viewers to see beyond posed façades and connect with the genuine spirit of his subjects.
