The Peter Fetterman Gallery in Santa Monica presents William Klein: In Your Face!, the first major showcase of the photographer's work in Los Angeles in 35 years. The exhibition opened on January 10, 2026, and continues through May 16, 2026, offering visitors an unprecedented opportunity to experience Klein's raw and energetic vision. A special opening reception took place on January 10 from 3 to 6 p.m., welcoming art enthusiasts and photography collectors. This comprehensive survey captures the essence of Klein's rebellious approach to the medium. The gallery is located at 2525 Michigan Avenue, Suite A1, Santa Monica, California.
William Klein (1926-2022) was born and raised in New York City before relocating to Paris after World War II. He studied at the Sorbonne and initially experimented with painting, graphic design, and filmmaking before discovering his passion for photography. His transatlantic existence between New York and Paris profoundly shaped his bold, unconventional artistic perspective. Though he traveled extensively throughout his prolific career, Paris remained his permanent home and creative foundation. This dual cultural influence is evident in his distinctive photographic style that challenged conventional aesthetics.
Klein's photography rejected traditional notions of elegance and perfection, instead embracing the chaotic vitality of real life. He was fascinated by movement, unpredictability, and unscripted moments that revealed the authentic pulse of human experience. As he famously stated, "It's not necessary to make order out of chaos. Chaos itself is interesting." This philosophy guided his street photography, which American publishers initially dismissed as too messy, confrontational, and unvarnished. While mainstream media promoted glamour and idealized narratives, Klein focused on overlooked realities visible in plain sight, transforming everyday scenes into compelling visual statements.
The photographer revolutionized the photobook format with groundbreaking works like Life Is Good and Good for You in New York: Trance Witness Revels. These publications challenged conventional sequencing and pacing, creating new ways for readers to experience visual narratives. Klein applied the same radical approach to his fashion photography for Vogue magazine, transforming the genre by placing elegant garments against gritty urban backdrops. His fashion images maintained the same dynamism and energy as his street photography, bridging two seemingly disparate worlds and redefining fashion's visual language.
The exhibition title references Klein's full book title, particularly the phrase "Trance Witness Revels," which encapsulates his photographic philosophy. He described photography as a trance-like state where hundreds of simultaneous events could be captured and experienced, consciously or unconsciously. The Peter Fetterman Gallery utilizes its main space to trace Klein's evolution and impact on contemporary image-making. Visitors will encounter the grit, immediacy, and visual audacity that define his enduring legacy. The show includes rare prints, vintage publications, and previously unseen material from the artist's archive.
Klein's unfiltered approach ruptured conventions in street and humanist photography, creating space for energy, confrontation, and directness in visual storytelling. His work resonates with particular urgency today as photographers grapple with questions of authenticity in an age of curated identities and mediated realities. Revisiting his revolutionary vision underscores photography's power to capture life at its most alive rather than its most polished. The exhibition serves as a powerful reminder that the medium's greatest strength lies in revealing truth through unvarnished observation, making it essential viewing for anyone interested in photography's social and artistic impact.
