© Ron Galella,Jackie Onassis and Ron Galella on Madison Avenue, October 7, 1971, New York City
FOAM - Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam Keizersgracht 609 1017 DS Amsterdam Pays-Bas
"My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person doing something infamous. That's why my favorite photographer is Ron Galella". (Andy Warhol)
This summer Foam presents a major exhibition of work by Ron Galella, pioneer of paparazzi photography. The exhibition features photos of stars including Mick Jagger, Jackie Onassis, Greta Garbo, Brigitte Bardot, Marlon Brando, Andy Warhol, Sean Penn, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Penélope Cruz and many more. These photos have appeared in magazines such as Life, Time, Rolling Stone, Vogue and Vanity Fair.
Ron Galella (1931, The Bronx, New York) started his career in the US Air Force. After returning from Korea he attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles and graduated in 1958 as photo journalist.
In his spare time he started photographing stars attending premières. This became his true passion. Galella typically doesn’t view his ‘victim’ through his lens; in order to really make contact, he looks right into the star’s eyes.
© Ron Galella, Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall depart Mizuno Gallery en route to L'Ermitage Hotel, January 16, 1983, Beverly Hills, California
He is also lightening fast, the essence of what he calls the ‘Art of Paparazzi’. By the time the stars have told him ‘no’, he can often do what they have asked – in the meantime, he’s already taken two photos. Galella’s method is seldom without humour. Following a confrontation with Marlon Brando he bought a helmet with the words ‘Paparazzi Ron’.
October 1971 was an important date in Galella’s career. It was a month in which he frequently photographed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. After encountering the photographer for the umpteenth time, the widow of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy and wife, at that time, of shipping magnate Ari Onassis took off running into New York’s Central Park. This photo of her on the run has become a ‘Jackie icon’. Galella’s Jackie-obsession ended with his arrest and a notorious court case that revolved around the question of how far a photographer could intrude on the privacy of a celebrity. For some, however, the photos of Jackie Onassis also provided considerable inspiration, such as for Tom Ford, former designer at fashion house Gucci.
© Ron Galella, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attend the premiere party for 'A Flea in Her Ear'
at Les Ambassadeurs Restaurant, October 18, 1968, Paris
Although Galella did not invent the term paparazzi (Italian for ‘buzzing mosquito’), he is the personification of the word. He redefined the relationship between celebrity and photographer. Jackie Onassis clearly dreaded the cheeky photographer, but other stars were glad to see him or were resigned to his presence. They realised that Ron Galella was a crucial link in stars’ popularity, satisfying the general public’s voyeurism and stimulating magazine sales.
Vignette : © Ron Galella, Jackie Onassis and Ron Galella on Madison Avenue, October 7, 1971, New York City