How does one capture and frame in a photograph the dynamism of modern dance? The Hood Museum proffers an answer with the new exhibit "I See America Dancing: Photographs by Barbara Morgan."
The twenty-four silver gelatin photographs feature such giants of modern dance as Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham, Doris Humphrey and Jose Limon in performance. The results are dramatic, electrifying poses set off by fantastic shadows. Some of these works have never before been exhibited, including shots of Graham in "Letter to the World (Swirl)" (1940) and "Lamentation" (1935).
Barbara Morgan met Graham in the 1930s, when Graham was transforming modern dance, and their collaboration enriched both their careers.
Morgan observed countless rehearsals and performances, memorizing the dancers' movements, then photographing them in their studios to capture what she called the "instant of combustion," the explosive essence of the dance. Graham wrote, "To me, Barbara Morgan through her art reveals the inner landscape that is the dancer's world."
Students of both photography and dance should appreciate this unique collaboration. Also featured in the exhibit is a series of videotapes showing performances by Graham and Humphrey. The still black-and-white photographs and the lively color videotape present an interesting juxtaposition.
"I See America Dancing" opened Saturday, Feb. 12 and will run until Mar. 13. A gallery talk by Pepe De Chiazza, adjunct professor of drama, will take place on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.
