Press Release: November 2010

FLIP SCHULKE: WITNESS TO OUR TIMES
Masterworks of Photojournalism
December 2 - February 26, 2011

Flip Schulke (1930-2008) was one of the most distinguished photojournalists of the last half of the twentieth century, though his name is little seen today. Keith de Lellis Gallery is pleased to present one of the largest retrospectives ever held of the work of this award-winning photographer.

Schulke was in many respects the epitome of an American success story, a self-starter who overcame serious obstacles to achieve a position of preeminence in the journalistic community. He left home at the age of fifteen to escape an abusive father and proceeded to put himself through high school and college. His fascination with photography began in high school, when he purchased a Brownie to create a visual record of the gymnastic exploits of a friend and fellow gymnast. His talent was apparent from the beginning, and he began supporting himself with his photography, something he was fortunate to be able to continue for the remainder of his life.

While Schulke created a large (approximately 500,000 negatives) and diverse body of work as a photojournalist, it is his 11,000 civil rights images that must be considered his most important achievement. In part this was happenstance. In the early1950s black photographers, to put it mildly, would have hardly been welcome covering civil rights activities in the South. But Schulke was ready and willing, and he obtained frequent free lance assignments from Johnson Publishing Company, the publisher of such mainstays of the black media as Ebony and Jet. In 1958 the company sent Schulke to photograph Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He and Dr. King, who differed in age by only a year, instantly hit it off, and the two maintained a close friendship until Dr. King's assassination in 1968. Schulke was invited into the King home not only as a journalist, but also as a friend. His many photographs of Dr. King comprise the most intimate and comprehensive visual record of the man we have, several of which are include in this exhibition. An especially successful portrait of Dr. King was made during a 1964 service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Because the church did not want flash to be used during the service, the low-level ambient light meant long exposures. Schulke's photo of Dr. King shows slightly fuzzy features, and the preacher's hands held in front of his face are blurred as a result of the gestures accompanying the flow of words. The resulting photograph is one of the most compelling images of King in existence and marvelously conveys the man's passion, dynamism and commitment.

Schulke was the only photojournalist admitted to the King home after the great man's assassination. His famous portrait of the veiled Coretta Scott King at the funeral adorned the cover of Life Magazine and was voted one of the fifty most memorable pictures of the last half of the twentieth century. Schulke always felt that this dramatic image was important because it portrayed not only Ms. King's sorrow, but also her pride in her husband and his achievements. Keith de Lellis Gallery is honored to be able to display this historic photograph during this exhibition.

Schulke was adept at engaging with people and gaining their confidence and cooperation, a skill he used effectively throughout his career, especially for his civil rights work. But this was not just a cynical exploitation of this talent for his own ends, as there was never any question as to his personal commitment to racial justice in the US. As he put it: "with some things, there isn't another side. For example, there are not two ways to look at segregation."

Schulke acquired the nickname "Flip" while in high school in recognition of his prowess on the gymnastics team, and the moniker stuck. Throughout his life Schulke remained interested in athletics both personally and professionally, and this show includes examples of his coverage of gymnastics competitions and auto racing.

Another interest was scuba diving, which in the 1950s grew into a fascination with underwater photography. Schulke was one of the first photojournalists to photograph underwater, and his innovations include a lens system that eliminated distortion under water as well as a design of a camera housing that allowed him to work underwater. His photos taken beneath water skiers created visual patterns never seen in photographs before; they are as interesting now as they were when first made almost 60 years ago.

Schulke's interests in underwater photography, sports, and racial equality seamlessly merged when he was assigned by Life Magazine to photograph Muhammad Ali in 1961. The result was the iconic photo of Ali standing on the bottom of a Miami swimming pool assuming a classic boxing stance, an image that has become the most famous photo Schulke ever took.

The exhibition includes work on other themes, such as the NASA space program, the Cuban revolution, John F. Kennedy and his assassination, hurricanes and the Cuban Missile Crisis. One especially striking photo shows a sand-covered US marine conducting surveillance on an unidentified beach in preparation for possible military action in Cuba. Fortunately for him and for all the rest of us, this soldier never got an opportunity to go there.