A tribute to the most influential, fascinating and controversial photographer of the 20th century.
SUMO was a titanic work in every sense: a book that broke all records in terms of size, weight, and resale price.

Helmut Newton (1920–2004) always maintained a healthy degree of suspicion toward simple or predictable solutions. SUMO was a bold and unprecedented journalistic adventure—and an irresistible project. The idea for this spectacular compilation of images emerged from a fruitful, trusting dialogue between photographer and publisher. The book had the dimensions of a private collection, an unusual page format, and was produced using state-of-the-art printing technology.

With an awe-inspiring live weight of 35.4 kilos including box and shrink-wrap, its unusual concept and the technical perfection of its execution, the book has set standards.

SUMO was published in a limited edition of 10,000 signed and numbered copies, which sold out soon after publication and quickly multiplied in value. A sensation on the book market worldwide, the publication can now be found in numerous important collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The legendary number one copy of SUMO, hand-signed by over 100 of the famous people depicted in the book, broke the record for the most expensive book of the 20th century: At an auction in Berlin on April 6, 2000, it sold for 620,000 DM at the time.

SUMO set new standards for the art monograph genre and secured a prominent place in the history of the photobook. This new edition is a dream come true. Helmut Newton would surely be delighted that now, a decade after its initial publication, SUMO is being revised by June Newton in a format that allows for more democratic distribution and makes his art accessible to a wider audience.

Proud owners of the new edition won't have to wrestle with their copy of SUMO. It comes with a specially designed display book stand.