PROUD GALLERIES presents
The ALI Folio™:
An intimate portrait of Muhammad Ali

Launch night: 13th March 2008
14th March – 11th May 2008

Proud Central presents The ALI Folio™: An intimate portrait of Muhammad Ali as seen through the lens of internationally acclaimed photographer Sonia Katchian. The only collection of its kind, this exhibition is the most intimate photographic portrait of Ali ever seen, shot all over the world alongside his family, friends and close travelling companions. 30 years since he won his third and final World Heavyweight Championship, these images celebrate the world’s favourite sporting hero at the pinnacle of his career exclusively from the woman he once called “the greatest photographer in the world”.

Sonia Katchian became the first foreign journalist to be kidnapped on Beirut’s infamous Green Line in 1975 when she was working in Lebanon covering the civil war. Also the first woman photographer on The New York Post, in 2001 she was called to Hollywood to consult on the biopic feature film Ali starring Will Smith where her pictures were inspiration and visual information for the film director Michael Mann.

No other photographer has had the same access to Ali’s work, home life and family as Sonia Katchian. The first woman to have been credentialed to shoot at ringside for a heavyweight championship fight, their relationship grew from a chance meeting in Manhattan in 1974 and has resulted in photographs that show us more than Ali the Icon: from Ali the family man to Ali the man of the people, from loyal son to serious sportsman.

Sonia Katchian says: “Being in Muhammad Ali’s presence was such a privilege – I’ve always hoped that when I finally released my pictures to the public that they would see a facet of the man that was visible only to those who knew him up close and personal.”

Previously unseen and unpublished in the UK, this exhibition is the chance of a lifetime for any sports fan to see the real story of the man they call ‘The Greatest’.

All pictures © Sonia Katchian

THE ALI FOLIO: AN INTIMATE PORTRAIT OF MUHAMMAD ALI
 Date:
Launch Event:

Times:

Entry: 14th March – 11th May 2008

13th March 2008, 7pm

11am-7pm Mon-Sat / 11am – 6pm Sunday

Free Address:

Website:

Interviews: 5 Buckingham Street
London
WC2N 6BP
www.proud.co.uk

Interview Opportunities with Sonia Katchian

Quotes

“This is an intimate portrait of Ali – Sonia Katchian captures the essence of Ali the sportsman, but more importantly, of Muhammad Ali the human being” - The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY, USA

“Sonia has had an amazing life, and has clearly channelled her experiences into some truly intimate and personal photos. I’m proud to welcome her exhibition to the UK for the first time, and to work with an artist who is such an inspiration. ” – Alex Proud

Background

Sonia Katchian was born in Lebanon, but lived in NYC for 20 years while going on to work in Tokyo for another decade. She is currently based in rural North Carolina where she shoots multimedia documentary projects for the web and produces prints for The ALI Folio™. Her work can be seen at www.alifolio.com and www.photoshuttle.com.

PROUD GALLERIES - Proud Galleries Group was launched in autumn 1998 by Alex Proud to bring affordable
high quality photography to a mainstream market. Based upon a formula of exhibiting accessible shows around
popular themes such as music, fashion, film and sport, Proud Galleries instantly took the photography industry by
storm. A series of landmark shows including ‘Destroy: The Sex Pistols’, ‘Rankin’s Nudes’, ‘The Rock n Roll
Years’, ‘Underexposed’, ‘Rebel Life: Bob Marley’, ‘The Official Bob Dylan Show’ and ‘The Libertines’ attracted
blanket media coverage and full-house, star-studded opening nights. With up to 10,000 paying customers per show,
the galleries soon became the most popular private photographic gallery in Europe. Proud Camden went on to
house the At Proud Bar & Live Music Venue, coined ‘ London’s best kept secret’ (Time Out Magazine) and hosted
live performances by sought-after bands like Dirty Pretty Things, Supergrass, Graham Coxon, Amy Winehouse and
secret gigs by Liam Gallagher, official fashion shows for London fashion Weeks and VIP parties for Paramount
Pictures, Sony, the MOBO awards and more.

FOR FURTHER EXHIBITON INFORMATION, SERIAL RIGHTS / USE OF PICTURES/ INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES CONTACT:
Sarah McLean @ Proud Galleries: +44(0) 20 7839 4942 | sarah@proud.co.uk | www.proud.co.uk