Mikhail Baryshnikov - Dancing Away

About

Dancing Away celebrates Baryshnikov as photographer; a medium that the artist explored for two decades before turning his lens to the dance world. As a photographer, Baryshnikov is in the unique position of ‘insider and outsider’ simultaneously. Whilst he may step out of his role as dancer, his intuitive “dancer’s eye” allows him to view every performance from a unique perspective. Each photograph captures a magical moment that has inspired Baryshnikov. “I take thousands of images, and it takes me a long, long time to select. My eye catches it and my heart stops. This is exactly what I want”, explains Baryshnikov, demonstrating that his artistry involves being both photographer and connoisseur.

Baryshnikov’s images capture the movement and fluidity of dance, nothing is static or posed, rather they evoke the enchanting image of dancers in flight. “I wanted the audience to see, to be able to imagine, the movement before and after, not just the frozen moment.”

Baryshnikov’s photography has now immortalised the dancer’s experience. Creating a harmonious unity between dance and photography, Baryshnikov encourages his observers to look upon dance in a way they may not usually. Irving Penn and Ilse Bing have had particular influence over the artist’s photography. Having held a number of solo exhibitions of his photographic work, Baryshnikov has also found fans amongst notable photographers, particularly that of Annie Leibovitz. His photographs are undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, due to the subject matter and use of colour, but they also offer a unique opportunity to observe dance, perhaps only momentarily, in the same way Baryshnikov does.