Gunter Sachs | |
|---|---|
 Sachs in 1978 | |
| Born | Fritz Gunter Sachs (1932-11-14)14 November 1932 Schonungen Germany |
| Died | 7 May 2011(2011-05-07) (aged 78) Gstaad, Switzerland |
| Citizenship |
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| Education | Institut auf dem Rosenberg |
| Occupations | Industrial heir, socialite, art collector, photographer, author |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3, includingRolf |
| Relatives | Wilhelm von Opel (grandfather) Fritz von Opel (uncle) |
| Signature | |
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Fritz Gunter Sachs,[1] (14 November 1932 – 7 May 2011) also known asGunter Sachs von Opel, was a German and Swiss industrial heir, socialite, art collector, photographer, and author.[2]
He was primarily known for hisjet set lifestyle inSt. Moritz andSt. Tropez and then gained international fame as a documentaryfilm-maker,documentary photographer, and as third husband ofBrigitte Bardot.[3][4]
Sachs was born 14 November 1932 at Schloss Mainberg (Mainberg Castle) inSchonungen Germany, toWilly Sachs, an industrialist and sole owner ofFichtel & Sachs, an automotive parts manufacturer, and Elinor von Opel (1908–2001), daughter ofWilhelm von Opel, co-founder of the automakerOpel. His parents divorced in 1935.[5][6] He had one older brother, Ernst Wilhelm Sachs (1929–1977), who died in anavalanche. In 1957, Gunter's father adopted the son of his common-law wife, giving Sachs a younger half-brother, Peter Sachs (né Hirnböck; born 1950).[7] Sachs was educated in Switzerland, atInstitut auf dem Rosenberg inSt.Gallen, and atLyceum Alpinum Zuoz nearSt. Moritz.[8]
In 1958, before he was financially secure, Sachs moved to Paris, where he earned money playingÉcarté. He spent his winnings on art; his collectioneventually included works byJean Fautrier,Andy Warhol,René Magritte,Salvador Dalí,Roy Lichtenstein,Tom Wesselmann,Mel Ramos, andAllen Jones. He also owned important pieces from theNouveau réalisme school includingYves Klein,Jean Tinguely,Arman, andMartial Raysse. Many of these artists were involved in the 1969 design of the legendary pop-art-apartment in the tower of thePalace Hotel in St. Moritz, which quickly gained the art world's attention.[9]
In 1967, withPrince Konstantin of Bavaria, Sachs co-founded the Modern Art Museum in Munich (MAM) and remained its president until 1975. In 1972, he opened his own gallery inHamburg; from this gallery, he launchedAndy Warhol into the European market and, in 1974, commissioned Warhol to produce a series of silkscreen portraits ofBrigitte Bardot.[10] In May 2006, Sachs sold one of Warhol's silk screens of Bardot at auction for $3 million.[11] The Sachs family sold part of his collection through aSotheby's auction in May 2012; the sale achieved £36.5 million.[12]
In the 1950s, Sachs began to experiment with black and white photography. In 1972, he received some commissions fromVogue France and, in 1973, shot that magazine's first nude photograph. He became known for images of women, in scenes set against sky, water and sand. He gained international recognition in 1974 with a special show at thephotokina show, for which he also designed the official exhibition poster. Also in 1974, he released his first book of photographs,Mädchen in meinen Augen (Girls in my Eyes). In 1976 he was awarded theLeica Prize. In 1982, he released his second book of photographs,Mirror Images. A third,Gunter Sachs was released in 1990.
In 1991 he worked withClaudia Schiffer on the "Heroines" series. He was drawn toSurrealism and experimented with long exposures and high-speed camera technology, and he was one of the first artists to create digital image compositions, which were first shown in 1995.[13] At the 'German photo days' and the photokina he received prizes for "Die Farbe Weiss" in1994 and for "Die Farbe Rot" in 1995.[citation needed]
The proceeds from the sale of his photographs and illustrated books went to the Mirja-Sachs Foundation, which he and his wife founded in 1987 to help children in need.[14][15]
In 1998, Sachs published the bookThe Astrology File: Scientific Proof of the Link Between the Star Signs and Human Behaviour. Sachs'smethodology and statistical analysis were criticized by mathematicians, who found errors in all parts and deny anystatistical significance, after making the necessary corrections in his data.[16]
Sachs carried dual German and Swiss citizenship.
He was an avidbobsledder, winning the Junior European Championship in 1959. He was Vice President of theCresta Run, and Chairman of theSt. Moritz Bobsleigh Club from 1969 until his death—Turn 13 of theSt. Moritz-Celerina Olympic Bobrun is named after him.[17]
In 1956, Sachs married French student Anne-Marie Faure (1934–1958), who died two years later fromanesthesia failure after a car crash.[18][19] They had one son, the artistRolf Sachs, born 1955.
In 1966, inLas Vegas, Sachs married the French actressBrigitte Bardot. They divorced in 1969 without issue.[18]
On 26 November 1969, Sachs married the former Swedish model Mirja Larsson (born 1943), in acivil ceremony inSt. Moritz, Switzerland. The ceremonial wedding was announced to happen on the grounds of Sachs's estate inBavaria.[20][21][18] They had two sons, Christian Gunnar Sachs (born 1971) and Claus Alexander Sachs (born 1982), and remained married until his death.
On May 7, 2011, at his home inGstaad, Sachs died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.[22][23]. In his suicide note, he explained that his actions were due to his having what he called "hopeless illness A", which may have beenAlzheimer's,[24]) adding that "The loss of mental control over my life was an undignified condition, which I decided to counter decisively".[18]
