Lawrence Schiller
Water Polo Players 02, Olympic Trials, Los Angeles, 1964
A new exhibition of sports shots by celebrated photographers evokes the competition, spunk, and verve that feels lacking from the crowdless, Simone Biles-less Summer Olympics. The images are action-packed. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the three-time Olympic gold medalist, is captured mid-stride by Herb Ritts. Muhammad Ali preps for a punch, Harry Benson marking the moment. George Kalinsky immortalizes Michael Jordan in the split second before a major dunk, his feet sporting the first prototype of the Air Jordan sneaker. And paralympian Aimee Mullins, shot by Howard Schatz, makes something unfathomably difficult look easy. The show stopper? Marilyn Monroe lifting weights—or, rather, looking good trying—photographed by Andre de Dienes at the Hotel Bel-Air. —J.V.
