Opening of the Exhibition of American photographer Paul Kolnik “George Balanchine” at the The Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy

24/11/2014
Opening of the Exhibition of American photographer Paul Kolnik “George Balanchine” at the The Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy

On November 24th the Festival will present the Exhibition of American photographer Paul Kolnik “George Balanchine” at the Vaganova Russian Ballet Academy.
Paul Kolnik is one of the most significant photographers of the history and nowadays life of the American ballet. It has already been forty years since Paul Kolnik was engaged by George Balanchine as an official photographer of the New York City Ballet. The fact that such a great choreographer gave his credence to him speaks for itself. Since staff photographer shoots not only finely honed performances – lessons, rehearsals and hard labor of “performance birth” are also subjects for the photo artist.
But Kolnik as no one else feels and has talent to transfer the cosmic harmony and nobility of Balanchine’s choreography. Even when he shoots lessons and rehearsals of half-finished stagings he captures this perfect purity of lines and immortal beauty of neo-classic choreography of Maestro.
Renowned historian of theatre Vadim Gaevsky says: “Paul Kolnik’s works remind an exhibition of antique sculpture: same accuracy of plastic forms, same beautiful clarity, same poetic and berimed corporeity. No romantic exaggerations, no rough contrasts, only slightly marked light and shade, only clearly drawn lines. Paul Kolnik is a master of line”.
Photo artist’s archive counts thousands of pictures of the celebrated New York City Ballet from 1977 till 2014, unique photographs of Rudolf Nureyev, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Andris Liepa, Susan Farrell, Peter Martins, Adam Lüders, Karin von Aroldingen and other legendary artists.