"Arnold Schwarzenegger book launch in LA: I was simply born with the gift of vision."

Arnold Schwarzenegger and ARNOLD editor Dian Hanson yesterday night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures ©Taschen

Books, 29 June 2023

Arnold Schwarzenegger book launch in LA: "Why I was different from all the other boys in my town I cannot tell you. I was simply born with the gift of vision." Big book premiere of the "Arnold" tribute by Cologne-based Taschen Verlag.

An evening with Arnold Schwarzenegger

29 June 2023: Tonight, the great actor, former governor of California and climate activist Arnold Schwarzenegger was celebrated at the David Geffen Theatre of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. At the same time, the new book "Arnold" from the Cologne-based Taschen Verlag was presented in a limited edition. The evening began with introductions by Doris Berger, Vice President of Curatorial Affairs at the Academy Museum, and Benedikt Taschen, Publisher and Founder of Taschen. The actor spoke on stage with Dian Hanson, the publisher of Taschen, about the decades-long process of collaboration in the creation of the book. Afterwards, Terminator 2: Judgement Day was shown in 3D.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is everywhere at the moment. On Netflix with his series debut "Fubar" as well as with the documentary "Arnold". He is also making headlines politically, as the former governor of California has been extremely active as a climate activist for years. Recently, on 20 June, his Austrian World Summit initiative took place for the 8th time in the Vienna Hofburg.

Ideal of beauty

As of today, the "Arnold" tribute is on the market. There are 3 different exclusive editions, limited to 1947 copies, the year Arnold Schwarzenegger was born. The design of the double volume is striking and repeatedly evokes associations with the ideal of beauty in antiquity, with Michelangelo-like illustrations, Roman numerals and even an bookholder modelled on a Roman column.

The tribute spans 75 years of Schwarzenegger's life, from his childhood in Thal, Austria, to his rise as a young athlete, his journey to America where he became the most famous bodybuilder of all time, his career as the world's leading action movie star and finally the governor of California and the climate activism that began while he was still in office. On display are photographs by artists and photographers such as Richard Avedon, Annie Leibovitz, Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, Francesco Scavullo and Andy Warhol.

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Annie Leibovitz shooting ©Taschen

Annie Leibovitz

The first time the two icons met was in 1975, when Arnold Schwarzenegger was competing in the Mr Olympia competition for bodybuilders in South Africa. Ten years later he was the Terminator and Leibovitz photographed him for the Vanity Fair Hall of Fame in 1988. The result was the famous picture of Schwarzenegger in white polo trousers, bare-chested and holding a cigar. On the beach, Schwarzenegger told the photographer he had a horse and was bringing it with him. According to Leibovitz, Arnold Schwarzenegger's upper thighs seemed to look like those of the horse.

Athlete, Actor, American, Activist

The first volume is divided into the sections Athlete, Actor, American, Activist and shows only the photographs. The second volume is a comprehensive account of his career with excerpts from interviews with companions ranging from film directors to politicians. The most important sections are also illustrated photographically.

1961

In 1961 he began to imagine a future outside his Austrian village. He thought that he was surrounded by people without drive or ambition, weakened psychologically and financially by the war. Everything changed when he started bodybuilding in 1962 after participating in the World Weightlifting Championships in Vienna.

Actor

Arnold Schwarzenegger says that he owes his acting career to the legendary bodybuilder and actor Reg Park. When he was 15 years old, he said he saw Reg Park on the cover of one of his Hercules movies and he was the hero who inspired him the most. Arnold Schwarzenegger's first film was Hercules in New York, made in 1969. The film director Arthur Seidelmann describes Arnold Schwarzenegger as a person whose most outstanding ability was that of listening, surpassed only by Bill Clinton. Other films followed, such as Pumping Iron, Conan The Barbarian (1982), Conan The Destroyer (1984) and, of course, Terminator (1991). Many milestones in Hollywood film history were to follow.

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"My life would simply not be possible without the United States of America".

When he heard about the recall of the incumbent governor of California, he ran for office: "I had the will, the vision and the plan". In this chapter of the book, Arnold Schwarzenegger is shown in action in a complete role reversal with Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, George Bush and as governor in action. And all the photos radiate optimism and drive. Schwarzenegger was also an early advocate of renewable energy in California.

Next chapter ©Taschen

Activist is the last chapter of the book and the current role Arnold Schwarzenegger has chosen for himself.

On 16 May, Arnold Schwarzenegger hosted the Austrian World Summit at the Hofburg in Vienna, under the patronage of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. In his speech Schwarzenegger called for a new form of environmental movement. People needed a new environmental movement based on building, growth and common sense. The Austrian World Summit is organised by the Schwarzenegger Climate Initiative, an Austrian association headed by ecologist and Green politician Monika Langthaler.

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The book, especially the second volume, is a comprehensive documentation of Arnold Schwarzenegger's career, with reports from contemporary witnesses going back to the beginning of his life in Thal, Austria. Precisely, as is typical for the Taschen publishing house, all the important stages of his life are shown and also photos that were previously unknown to a wider audience.

Available editions (source Taschen)

Collector's Edition (No. 951-1,947), each copy numbered and signed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Art Edition (nos. 1-100) with a framed ChromaLuxe print, numbered and signed by Annie Leibovitz, and as Capitello Edition (nos. 101-950) with a Capitello book stand designed by Studio65.

Prices: From €1250 to €12,500

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