Focal Point Gallery in Chapel Hill presents Muhammad Ali: The Photographs of Sonia Katchian

Jan. 5, 2012 - PRLog -- Focal Point Gallery, 1215 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill, features the work of documentary and fine-art photographer Sonia Katchian, Now a Chapel Hill resident. Ms Katchian traveled the world photographing the Champ starting in 1974 at the Rumble in the Jungle! The Gallery and photographer join the nation and the world in saying “Happy Birthday, Champ!” on Ali’s 70th birthday, January 17th, 2012.

Muhammad Ali: The Photographs of Sonia Katchian  runs January 15-February 29,  with an artist reception Sunday, January 15, 1- 4pm. Gallery Talk by the photographer at 2:30pm. Help blow out the candles on Ali’s birthday cake at the Gallery Talk!

Ms Katchian’s photographs of Ali include assignments shot in color for Sports Illustrated at the Rumble in the Jungle in 1974, to images made at ringside for Sport magazine at the Thrilla in Manila in 1975, to intimate b&w photos of Ali’s daily life with family and friends.  Ms Katchian’s images have appeared in U.S., European and Asian publications, and syndicated by Black Star photo agency.

Prints range in size from 8”x10” to as big as 8 feet long. Prices range from perfect for students and Ali fans, to limited-edition, pigment-based prints, signed and numbered by the photographer, suitable for art collectors and print connoisseurs.

A special feature of this exhibition is a boxed set of fourteen of Ms Katchian’s and Ali’s favorite images, in a custom-made box. An art collector’s dream, The ALI Folio™ sells for $14,000.

“I started out photographing him [Ali] as a press photographer in 1974, and we immediately became friends,” remembers Ms Katchian fondly.  She continued photographing him at championship fights and events around the world for some 20 years. A popular speaker, she will explain how she garnered the assignments, and developed this unusual friendship, at her Gallery Talk, January 15th, 2:30 pm.  

Ms. Katchian’s work is in museums and private collections around the world: the Smithsonian Institution, The Neiman-Marcus Collection, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Julien Levy Collection, The Albright-Knox Gallery among many others.

Website: http://alifolio.com/ and bio at http://soniak2.webs.com/exhibitions.htm

Focal Point Gallery Website: http://www.chapelhillfocalpoint.com