Robert
Ripley’s world-wide reputation as a chronicler of the odd,
unusual and unexpected is based on his widely syndicated “Believe
it or Not!®” newspaper feature. Ripley’s presentation
of extraordinary events and acts was backed up by photographic
evidence sent in by those whose claims he popularized.
This exhibition, originally organized to celebrate the Ripley
centennial celebrations in 1993, consists of 126 vintage photographs,
letters and sworn affidavits sent in to substantiate and enliven
the claims submitted to Ripley. These images have a strange
resonance with both the recent trend to fictionalizing that
photographers have embraced, as well as the recent and sophisticated
modification of images through the use of computer tools such
as Photoshop. Material in the exhibition comes directly from
the “Believe it or Not!®” archives in Florida.
