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Mortal Machine Gallery in New Orleans hosted the opening reception last night for George Napolitano's first-ever photo exhibition entitled "Origin Stories," which features 13 stunning photographs of wrestling icons in their early days as captured by George's lens.
The gallery itself is stunning. Its surreal floor-to-ceiling interior red paint job gives crimson mask vibes and is the perfect backdrop to showcase George's work.
Fans and art enthusiasts from around the Gulf Coast and those who traveled to NOLA for WWE's Money in the Bank premium live event on Saturday were in awe of the exhibit.
George was there to meet the fans and the media along with his son Joseph. The emotions in the space were palpable. The love of wrestling, the appreciation of what George captures in his stunning portraits, the respect the gallery owner Gabriel Shaffer has for George and his work, and the love between a father and son with their shared passions for photography and wrestling all multiplied the feelings in the room. It just felt magical to be present.
Fans (myself included) were in awe of these images from the salad days of CM Punk, André the Giant, Terry Funk, Lou Albano, Steve Austin, Ric Flair, Rey Mysterio, Hulk Hogan, Freddie Blassie, Tony Atlas, The Undertaker, and more!
George and his son were generous with their time and shared stories of having Abdullah the Butcher over for Sunday meatballs in Brooklyn, George's start as a photographer in NY, as well as their fondness for Mick Foley and PWInsider's own Mike Johnson!
The exhibit continues for most of October, so please go out of your way to see it! It was incredibly powerful and felt great to see one of wrestling’s greatest contributors celebrated and honored in this environment.
Coming up next, selections from George's massive and mind-blowing archive will be headed to SCOPE in Miami Beach during Art Week in December.
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Additional from Mike Johnson:
Promotional material for the exhibition notes:
Unlike traditional wrestling exhibitions that celebrate championship victories and defining moments, Origin Stories turns its attention to the beginning.
The exhibition explores the early careers of twelve legendary wrestlers through photographs made before they became icons. Long before championship belts, sold-out arenas, and worldwide fame, these were ambitious young performers carving out their place in wrestling history. Through George Napolitano’s lens, visitors will experience these legends at the very start of their journeys.
More than a collection of wrestling photographs, Origin Stories is an exhibition about ambition, transformation, and the making of American mythology. George’s work captures the humanity behind larger than life personas, revealing moments of confidence, uncertainty, humor, and determination that audiences rarely had the opportunity to see.
This exhibition also marks the beginning of an exciting new collaboration between Mortal Machine Gallery and the George Napolitano Archive. Following its New Orleans debut, the project will expand with a featured Special Project presentation at SCOPE Miami Beach during Art Week this December, introducing George’s extraordinary archive to an international audience of collectors, curators, and contemporary art enthusiasts.
For more details, click here.
Napolitano was inducted into the Thesz/Tragos Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013, the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2017 and this November, will be inducted into the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in Albany, NY. Over the course of his career, he has published ten books, an untold number of wrestling magazine, traveling the world many times documenting professional wrestling from the 1970s through today.
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