New Outdoor Michael Jordan Photo Exhibit Opens in Chicago

By Gabriella Garcia
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Updated: June 5, 2015

Sports photographer, Walter Iooss photographed Michael Jordan for 12 years and now an exhibit featuring his photos is available for fans to see in downtown Chicago. A new exhibit featuring 30 of Iooss’ Jordan photos was unveiled on Friday, May 29th at the Field Museum and will run through Labor Day.

“How do you take a bad picture of him?” Iooss said Friday evening at the Chicago Field Museum. “It’s the truth. I almost have no pictures where he looks bad. He never flinched when a camera was near him because he knows everyone is looking at him every second he’s anywhere.” Walter took famous action shots, portraits and even some casual shots of Michael in hotel rooms for Sports Illustrated and in 1993 published a collection called “Rare Air: Michael on Michael.”

The outdoor exhibit is to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Jordan’s rookie season with Iooss’ best Jordan work near the north entrance of the Field Museum, overlooking the city of Chicago. It’s called “Open Air.” You can see Michael fly, dunk, and fight Charles Barkley for a rebound. See Michael ice his ankle at the Omni Hotel in Orlando and lie in bed. Nine months ago, Walter brought up the idea to Chicagoan William Kunkler III, who is married to Susan Crown of the wealthy Crown family, longtime investors in the Chicago Bulls. Kunkler is a board member of the Field Museum and Jordan Brand helped put things together. “I think Chicago is going to have a lot of fun with it,” Kunkler said. “I think people are going to either take pictures of the pictures or selfies of the pictures.” Walter Iooss first photographed Jordan in 1987 at his basketball camp in Lisle, Illinois which is where their relationship started. “I was sent out there for Sports Illustrated, and I took arguably the best picture I ever took of him on Day 2,” Iooss said. “Then the slam-dunk contest the next year and we started to roll.” That famous picture of Jordan flying atop a blue basketball court is in the exhibit along with Iooss’ shot of Jordan in the 1988 slam dunk contest in Chicago.