Gelatin silver print
USA, 1988
Ron Galella (b. 1931) – American paparazzi photographer
Signed in pencil verso ‘Ron Galella’
With artist’s reproduction limitation and studio ink stamp verso
Extensively inscribed and dated in typeset on a label affixed to the reverse ‘March 10, 1988’
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm.)
Very good condition

The same year the undisputable King of Pop, Michael Jackson, released his seventh studio album “Bad,” he was awarded an honorary doctorate from the United Negro College Fund and Fisk University. Flying to New York City to accept the honor, Galella captured Jackson with fellow musician (and superstar in her own right) Whitney Houston.

Executed in 1988, this gelatin silver print is signed in pencil, with the artist’s copyright and studio ink stamp verso. Measuring 8 x 10 inches, the photographed is inscribed and dated in typeset on a label affixed to the reverse. Small areas of emulsion loss at extreme corners and edges of print but otherwise in very good condition.

Ron Galella (American, b. 1931)

Dubbed “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture,” Ron Galella is widely regarded as the most famous and controversial celebrity photographer of the twentieth century. Before receiving his degree in Photojournalism at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, Galella served as a United States Air Force photographer. His interest in photography and popular culture led him on his mission to capture celebrities in candid moments, searching for unguarded moments of truth. Known for the ruthless lengths he would take to capture an image, Galella gained notoriety for his feuds with some celebrities, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Marlon Brando. His work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York and San Francisco; Tate Modern, London; and the Helmut Newton Foundation Museum of Photography, Berlin, among others. The photographer currently resides in Montville, New Jersey.