By Suzanne Révy
Ancient Greek Olympians were thought to have descended from the Gods, and examples of wrestling, discus-throwing and chariot racing were sculpted in marble and inscribed on decorative ceramic vessels. The human figure revered in classical times has influenced the art of the west for centuries. Graceful athleticism is aspirational and one modern day master of the photographic form is Walter Iooss. His exquisite sense of human movement and endurance is being exhibited in the solo show G.O.A.T: The Sports Photography of Walter Iooss, on view at the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts through January 5th 2025.

“Michael Jordan, Phoenix at Chicago” by Walter Iooss, 1993, Gift of Dan Tomson, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia” by Walter Iooss, 1966, Gift of Benjamin Janisko, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Mel Renfro, Super Bowl 5, Miami, FL” by Walter Iooss, 1971, gift of Rajesh B. Patel, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
Contemporary Olympians seem no less “god- like” in their abilities to run, throw, swim or dive. And the coordination of a well coached group of people to get a ball into a basket or through a goal post can look like a choreographed dance. Many of today’s sports are designed with television in mind, but freezing the action with a still camera presents its own challenges, and Walter Iooss has developed an extraordinary sense of timing in framing the action. He routinely anticipates when to release his shutter during a big game, as he did when Dwight Clark caught Joe Montana’s pass in 1982, while also finding the quiet moments on the sidelines as in his picture of Mel Renfro bathed in late day light on the bench amid discarded paper cups as his team lost in the final minutes of Super Bowl V.

“Edwin Moses, Irvine, CA” by Walter Iooss, 1991, Gift of Andrew King, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Greg Louganis, Mission Viejo, CA” by Walter Iooss, 1984, Gift of Christopher Urban, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Blue Dunk, Lisle Ill” by Walter Iooss, 1987, gift from Andrew King, courtesy of the artist and Fitchburg Art Museum.
At seventeen, Iooss received his first Sports Illustrated assignment, honing his eye for player strategy and timing while running alongside field action as he focused a manual lens. His action pictures are dynamic, recalling the physical expressions found in ancient Greek sculpture. But he is equally adept at constructing images. Employing unusual angles, a saturated color palette and careful timing, Iooss reveals every sinewy muscle as Edwin Moses glides over a hurdle and captures the positioning of hands, feet and shoulders from above as Michael Jordan dunks a basketball.

“Tiger Woods, Reunion. FL” by Walter Iooss, 2008, Gift of Andrew King, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. New York, NY” by Walter Iooss, 1989, Gift of Andrew King, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.

“Jackie Joyner-Kersee” by Walter Iooss, 1991, Gift of Andrew King, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
Iooss’s use of Rembrandt light in a series of environmental portraits demonstrates that he is as big a fan of photography as he is of sports. Players such as golfer Tiger Woods and boxers Sugar Ray Leonard with Tommy Hearns emphasize a competitive spirit that burns through every fiber of their beings. His portraits of Jackie Joyner-Kersee with the javelin and Ken Griffey, Jr. wielding a baseball bat under a dramatic blue night sky against the Boston skyline are equally captivating. Iooss has managed the unusual trick of making pictures that can serve in an editorial or commercial capacity, while elevating the subject of sports, human resilience and athletic accomplishment into a museum-worthy exhibit.

“Ken Griffey, Jr. Boston, MA” by Walter Iooss, 1996, Gift of Benjamin Janisko, courtesy of the artist and the Fitchburg Art Museum.
For more information: https://fitchburgartmuseum.org

Feature Image: “Bill Russell and Elgin Baylor, LA” by Walter Iooss, 1965, Gift of Christopher Urban, courtesy of the artist and Fitchburg Art Museum.