Mikhail Baryshnikov, Contini Art UK

World-famous ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov reveals another string to his bow as he exhibits a series of photographs in Mayfair this winter. The new London photography exhibition entitled Dancing Away, explores the different forms of dance through the eyes of one of its finest classical practitioners.
Each photograph, painstakingly selected by Baryshnikov from the thousands he has taken, draws attention to the fluid agility of its subject. Using long exposure times, the painterly images gracefully capture the uninhibited freedom achieved through dance.
This photographic celebration of liberty is profoundly meaningful for Baryshnikov, who famously defected from the Soviet Union to Canada in 1974, and was given his first camera shortly afterwards. Just as he grew frustrated with the stifling control of the Kirov Ballet, Baryshnikov’s impetus to pick up a camera stemmed from his dissatisfaction with the static nature of traditional dance photography.
The exhibition at Contini Art UK, New Bond Street will be the first time examples of Mikhail Baryshnikov photography have been shown in the UK, and offer a fascinating insight into the creative approach of one of the greatest dancers of our era.