Ballet "L'Errante", Paris 1933

Editor: This is Ilse Bing’s gelatin-silver print, "Ballet 'L'Errante', Paris" from 1933. It’s such a dynamic shot, almost like a ghost in motion. It is very visually arresting. I am particularly drawn to its captivating blurriness, evoking ethereal dancers in their world. How would you interpret its place in art history? Curator: This image is particularly fascinating because it captures a moment of great artistic and social change. Consider the rise of photography as a fine art in the early 20th century, coupled with the experimental spirit of the interwar period. Bing, a Jewish woman photographer who, anticipating political tensions, soon had to flee Germany. The photograph transcends being simply about a ballet; instead, what cultural and societal undercurrents might the piece capture? Editor: You are right, I hadn't considered how the cultural backdrop would've directly shaped this photograph's importance, and the career of Bing herself! Thinking about its contemporary place, were dance photography, and particularly that focused on ballet, widely accepted at this time? Curator: While dance and performance were being increasingly explored, its placement within 'high art' photography and fine art contexts would have been seen as a rather radical act. Now consider Bing's composition. The blurring of the figures, does this stylistic decision connect with any movements or philosophies of that period? Editor: It makes me think of the Italian Futurists and their obsession with speed and movement, the ways they sought to capture dynamism in art. But while the Futurists sought to illustrate the excitement of the present, I find here a nostalgic mood. Curator: That is quite astute. Bing also captured the transience of the fleeting spectacle of ballet; in a Europe on the brink of enormous, devastating political changes. We need to recognize Bing’s photographic prowess. Consider the innovative techniques, composition, and how it actively constructs new understandings about how to represent reality. What would you say is most thought-provoking about Bing's contribution today? Editor: Realizing that it wasn't purely a document of ballet, but a commentary on art, culture and society, makes me rethink it. Its radical departure for photography makes it important and powerful, something I never fully grasped at first sight!