MadonnaTribe Meets Curtis Knapp
The MadonnaTribe team is back with a brand new esclusive interview for the month of May 2007. This time we had the chance to talk to Curtis Knapp, the award-winning portrait and fashion photographer who has portraied some of the most influential musicians, actors, writers, artists and celebrities of our times, including Laurie Anderson, William Burroughs, Brian Eno, Dennis Hopper, Lou Reed, and REM, and signing the photoshoot for Madonna’s first magazine cover ever.
Back in new York City after spending two decades in Japan, Curtis has recently been featured in two exhibitions about Andy Warhol in Washington and New York City, showing the portraits of Warhol he shot in 1983 that are among the last images of the artist in his last Factory.
Here’s a preview of this exclusive interview that can be read in full HERE or by clicking on the images below.
MadonnaTribe: As mentioned earlier, you are the photographer of Madonna’s first magazine cover ever, hundreds covers came after that for her. But what does it feel to be the photographer of that first cover, “Island” is a part of music history now.
Curtis Knapp: I do not think just on Madonna. Perhaps someday (I have been told) my archives will be or help in some small way some sort of history on many of the people or subjects in my files.
MadonnaTribe: That number of Island is very rare now and collectors from around the world are always looking for a copy.
For those who have never had the chance to see a copy, what kind of magazine was Island and how did they get in touch with you to do the Madonna photo shoot?
Curtis Knapp: Arnold and the staff planned it. And they where very excited about it. And they did plan it around the time of her First record (remember records?) release. They had parties etc… She lived on the next block. She came over to the ‘Apartment’ to pick from my contact sheets. My Daughter Rei-re just asked when she could use the living room and watch TV. Ah kids.
MadonnaTribe: What do you recall of that young and fresh Madonna on the set? did you feel she would have achieved so much in the music business and become such an iconic figure?
Curtis Knapp: Honestly, she was very focused on her idea of HER. But at that time, that day, we just had fun and worked on taking good pics.
MadonnaTribe: How many photos did you take that day? Just a few were published and there must be many outtakes…
Curtis Knapp: Yes and fans can contact me direct for gallery prints, which I sell on my site. But between moving here and there many negatives had gone by the wayside and lost.
