“I made this portrait in a vestibule of Michael's home in 1998. I was shooting on 4x5 sheet film, and the double exposure was actually a mistake. I wanted to try it again to see if I could do it any better. Michael said, "You'll never do that again; you're … (read more)

“I made this portrait in a vestibule of Michael's home in 1998. I was shooting on 4x5 sheet film, and the double exposure was actually a mistake. I wanted to try it again to see if I could do it any better. Michael said, "You'll never do that again; you're not good enough!" This was the kind of competitive banter we always had. I, of course, attempted, and it wasn't very good, to which he said, "You see." He was right.

The big question is always why Michael is wearing a #5 earring—that is how many championships he and The Bulls had won at this point. Not long after this picture, they would win their sixth NBA Championship, Michael would retire, and management would dismantle the team. This is why they refer to their 1998 season as 'The Last Bull Run.' Everyone knew it was going to be over."

Walter Iooss Jr.
May 4th, 2021

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Artist: Walter Iooss Jr.
Title: Michael Jordan, Highlands Park, IL 1998
Location: Michael Jordan’s home
Date of Photo: March 5th, 1998
NFT Mint Event For Image: #01
Release Date: May 18th, 2021