Now Is All There Is - Featured Exhibition

This month's featured exhibition is 'Now Is All There Is: Bodies In Motion'

'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. It is running on 25-27 January 2013 at The Hospital Club Gallery, Covent Garden. Entry is free.

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 Nuñez, Nehemiah Kish, Steven McRae, Thiago Soares, Johannes Stepanek, Eric Underwood, Edward Watson and Zenaida Yanowsky.

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.

For more information, visit The Hospital Club website.