The Photographs of Ron Galella

Celebrating the New Film “Smash His Camera”

at Gallery MAR, 580 Main Street, Park City

January 21-26, 2010

Sundance Film Festival 2010

Much has been written of Ron Galella. Widely regarded as the most famous and most controversial celebrity photographer in the world—he’s been dubbed “Paparazzo Extraordinaire” by Newsweek and “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture” by Time and Vanity Fair—Galella is clearly willing to take great risks to get the perfect shot. As a result, he has endured two highly publicized court battles with Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, a broken jaw at the hands of Marlon Brando, and a serious beating by Richard Burton’s bodyguards before being jailed in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

But ultimately, it is his passion for the fine art of photography, coupled with a dedicated do-it-yourself approach to his craft—few artists can claim his level of skill in making their own prints—that sees Ron’s body of work exhibited at museums and galleries throughout the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in both New York and San Francisco, the Tate Modern in London, and the Helmut Newton Foundation Museum of Photography in Berlin.

Ron’s passion for photojournalism has also given rise to many highly acclaimed books including Disco Years (PowerHouse, 2009), which was honored as Best Photography Book of 2006 by The New York Times, and Smash His Camera, a documentary of his life and career by Oscar-winning director, Leon Gast (When We Were Kings, 1996), that will premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and compete for Best U.S. Documentary.

The Gallery MAR view to Main Street is unmatched and this week we were able to take in all of the Sundance sights and frights. Stars who were spotted: Pierce Brosnan, Wesley Snipes, Benjamin Bratt, Anthony Edwards, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and more. The films very incredible this year and the we are so thankful to Sundance for bringing these incredible films and their makers to our snowy town. Favorites from the Fest: The End of the Line, The Reckoning, Motherhood, and Shouting Fire. Let’s hope that many of these will be distributed and that film-watchers all over the world will be able to experience them.

Warren Neary, “Evening Out,” Oil

Main Street has official been deluged with film-goers, studio execs, and celebrity gawkers. This quiet scene (above) fresh from Warren Neary’s studio is a far cry from the intense action and noise that is currently taking over Park City. The world renowned Sundance Film Festival is in its 25th year. We’ll keep a tally of celebrities who darken our door and post it in the next blog entry, along with the top films that we were able to see.

We’re going to also check out the New Frontier on Main, which melds art, science and film and where the only rules are that you break them. According to the Park Record, the films, which challenge viewers to examine everything from beekeepers to factory workers, can be seen throughout the 10-day festival on several of the festival screens around town. The installations play simultaneously on the lower level of the Main Street Mall from noon to 7 pm and are open to the public as space permits.

What’s your favorite Sundance Experience?