Previously unseen photographs of David Bowie have gone on display following the musician’s death from cancer.

The images are being shown at an exhibition from celebrity photographer Markus Klinko, who created the cover for Bowie’s 2002 album Heathen and directed the music video for his 2013 song Valentine’s Day.

Bowie Unseen includes rare pictures of the singer taken during the photo shoot for Heathen in 2001, as well as images of Bowie with wolves, which Klinko created for a 2002 GQ magazine cover.

Klinko told the Press Association: “Working with David was one of the best experiences because he knows exactly what he wants. If he gives you the job it’s because he wants your input.

“It’s a collaboration in the best sense of the word because he’s not someone who is going to railroad you into a corner where you just have to execute his commands.

It’s a collaboration in the best sense of the word

“The reason we have so many shots that are unseen is because once we did the cover for Heathen – which took several hours and which he very precisely had mapped out in his head – he then turned veryplayful and allowed me to have fun.

“Some of the images I cherish the most are when there’s this element of improvisation. Not since since the death of John Lennon has the death of a music celebrity moved so many millions of people.”

Klinko said he had worked with Bowie’s widow Iman “dozens of times” including a photo shoot in June 2015 for Italy’s Vanity Fair for her 60th birthday, during the musician’s 18-month cancer battle.

“They were definitely very private about that,” the photographer said. “It was not discussed at all.”

Bowie died in January aged 69. A portion of proceeds from sales of prints from the exhibition in Los Angeles will benefit Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research.

Bowie Unseen at Mr MusicHead Gallery in Hollywood runs until June 15.

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