The Perfect Shot: Walter Iooss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography opens Spring 2022 at OKCMOA
Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Serena Williams and more featured in new exhibition. This exhibition is supported by Philip and Heather Busey.
A new, original exhibition of photographs by iconic sports photographer Walter Iooss Jr. will open March 5, 2022 at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The Perfect Shot: Walter Iooss Jr. and the Art of Sports Photography includes over 80 photographs spanning 50 years of Iooss’ career.
“The photography of Walter Iooss is both instantly recognizable and relatable,” said curator Bryn Schockmel. “Whether you are a diehard fan or participant, the emotions Iooss captures in his work are universally understood. His ability to tell incredible stories through expressive photographs of the athletes he profiles is unparalleled.”
The Perfect Shot will feature over 80 sports photographs – ranging from a girl striking out at a high school softball game to NFL players winning the Super Bowl – that highlight the universal emotions that athletes the world over know well. The exhibition will be divided into five sections: Anticipation, Perseverance, Triumph, Disappointment and Reflection. Featured sports include basketball, baseball, football, gymnastics, boxing, golf, tennis and swimming.
Walter Iooss Jr. spent over 50 years photographing athletes for Sports Illustrated, starting with his first assignment at the age of 17. The partnership led to hundreds of memorable magazine covers and the opportunity for Iooss to work with and befriend some of the greatest athletes of the last half century, including Muhammad Ali, LeBron James, Cathy Marino, Bart Conner, Serena Williams, Joe Namath and Arnold Palmer.
One of the relationships Iooss developed, over many years, was with legendary basketball star Michael Jordan. Iooss shot Jordan dozens of times and the pair collaborated on a book of photographs, “Rare Air,” in 1993. The Perfect Shot includes a number of iconic photographs of Jordan.
The exhibition will be on view through Sept. 4, 2022.
Credit: Walter Iooss Jr., “The Blue Dunk,” Michael Jordan, Lisle, Illinois, 1987. Archival pigment print, 14¾ x 22 in. Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Gift of Chetan Patel in honor of the Museum’s 75th anniversary, 2019.221. © Walter Iooss Jr.
