Capturing that moment of expression
SOUTH African photographer Matthew Willman will host an exhibition titled Private Space and launch a book at Gallery 196 in Victoria Road, Woodstock, next month.
Private Space is a visual exploration of the 21st century, a personal journey of a photographer with his dancers.
Every image in this work is an intimate moment, a private love affair expressed by dancers from around the world.
It is a collection of 188 images compiled into this one coffee table book.
Willman spent five years travelling to different continents photographing 88 ballet dancers from 42 nations from Havana to Hong Kong, Vienna, Cape Town, New York and Cincinnati in the US.
“There is a relationship between a dancer and a photographer, the two it seems are married to each other, not by the means with which they achieve their greatness, but rather by their passion that creates the magic,” said Willman.
‘‘No great photographer was ever without their camera, yet no one will say the photographer’s talent lay with the camera.
‘‘No great dancer was without their stage, yet no one ever said a dancer’s greatness was because of the stage.
“It’s not about the stage and it’s not about the camera, but the art lies solely with the creativity and imagination of these two artists – both with years of training and experience, who if for only a few moments have the power to move the audience into a space that is somewhere between reality and the dream.”
The dancers appearing in this collection have not been digitally manipulated in any way, he said.
The photographer has painstakingly captured each dancer in their defining moment on location; this is all part of the authenticity of this collection.
He personally choreographed, directed and lit each image on location around the world, unaided by studio lighting and without any photographic assistant.
The relationship is between photographer and dancer to achieve that single moment of expression.
In post-production each image has been carefully grey-scaled with appropriate levels and contrast detailed to each image.
The opening of the exhibition will take place on March 9.