© DRick Guest, by kind permission of the Royal Opera House. (Click image for larger version)
December 2012 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENOW IS ALL THERE IS – BODIES IN MOTION
Dancers of The Royal Ballet – A Photographic Exhibition
The Gallery at The Hospital Club, Covent Garden
25 January 10am-4pm; 26 & 27 January 10am-6pm FREE ENTRY
Now Is All There Is – Bodies in Motion is an exhibition of 34 stylized images of Royal Ballet dancers taken by photographer Rick Guest. Celebrating the physicality and expression of the dancers’ bodies, this exhibition captures them in a different light away from the Royal Opera House and uniquely styled by Olivia Pomp.
This series of black and white photographs is the fusion of three art forms: photography, fashion and dance. These images were taken over the last two years and illustrate key disciplines of ballet technique – balance and poise – but with a strong fashion edge that is both evocative and playful.
The exhibition takes is name from a quote by choreographer George Balanchine calling for his dancers to be ‘in the moment’, to never hold back and to give everything, ‘What are you waiting for? What are you saving yourself for? Now is all there is!’ This passionate plea has been realised in these photographs which captures some of The Royal Ballet dancers in an astonishing moment in time.
The Royal Ballet dancers photographed for this project include Lauren Cuthbertson, Melissa Hamilton, Marianela Nunez, Nehemiah Kish, Steven McRae, Thiago Soares, Johannes Stepanek, Eric Underwood, Edward Watson and Zenaida Yanowsky.
© Rick Guest, by kind permission of the Royal Opera House. (Click image for larger version)
Olivia and Rick have a unique partnership which has developed over many years collaborating on international editorial commissions. Rick’s extensive experience of photographing athletes – most recently for the London Olympic Games – gives him the insight into how best to capture the human body in motion, seizing moments of weight and weightlessness.
For this project, Olivia focused on celebrating the strength and power inherent in the dancers’ poise, underlining their form by styling with unconventional garments and accessories custom-crafted by young British designers including Derek Lawlor, Hannah Morgan, Alison Lewis, Georgina Pragnell and Ana Rajcevicz.
Each image is float-mounted and framed in American oak to form a dramatic installation. All art pieces are a limited edition of six and will be for sale.
Notes to Editors
Now is all there is: Bodies in Motion
Dancers of The Royal Ballet – A Photographic Exhibition
25 – 27 January 2013
The Gallery at The Hospital Club, 24 Endell Street, WC2H 9HQ
Open to the public: 25 January 10am-4pm; 26 & 27 January 10am-6pm
Private View: 25 January 6-9pm FREE ENTRY
Image credits from left to right:
Nehemiah Kish by Rick Guest
Edward Watson by Rick Guest
Laura Morera by Rick Guest
The Royal Ballet
Based at the Royal Opera House inLondon’s Covent Garden, The Royal Ballet is one of the finest ballet companies in the world. The Company has a wide-ranging repertory showcasing the great classical ballets, heritage works from Founder Choreographer Frederick Ashton and Principal Choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, as well as new works by the foremost choreographers of today. Access is a key issue for the Company and its work is seen not just at the Royal Opera House but via televised and cinematic performances, outdoor Big Screen performances, international touring and through the work of the Company’s Education Department.
www.roh.org.uk
The Hospital Club is a unique hub in the heart ofLondon offering the creative community the environment and facilities to create, connect and collaborate. As part ofLondon’s creative community its role is to discover and feed the best creative talent, and produce, publish and celebrate their work.
With over seven floors at24 Endell Street, it is a real-world Club with Gallery, Studios, Screening Room and beautiful spaces. It is also an on-online community for the Creative Industries, set up to inspire, entertain, support and nurture creative talent.
www.thehospitalclub.com
Rick Guest is a highly regarded internationally renowned photographer who has worked on a diverse array of campaigns for clients such as Nike, BMW, Sony, Ferrari and most recently the advertising for the 2012 London Olympics. Rick has been specialising in high performance subjects from world class athletes to Formula 1 cars. His technical skill and aesthetic vision have been instrumental in the creation of this incredible project with The Royal Ballet.
www.eastphotographic.com
Olivia Pomp is a highly experienced international stylist and Fashion Editor. Born in Germany, Olivia studied languages and the art of couture tailoring in Munich. She was fashion editor of German GQ before moving to the UK and becoming fashion director at British Esquire and has been a contributing fashion editor for the Financial Times HTSI magazine. Olivia is currently contributing to Intelligent Life and fashion director for 125 Magazine. She has worked on numerous high-profile editorial and commercial projects, including campaigns for Burberry, Gucci, Smythson, Pringle, Aquascutum and M&S.
www.oliviapomp.com
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