WING018 - Gerard Uferas | In the Company of Stars
Posted by Kristin Sloan
WING018 | Gérard Uféras | In The Company of Stars
A few weeks ago, I stopped by the Hermés Gallery to talk to Gérard Uféras on the day that his exhibition, In The Company of Stars, opened. The photographs in the exhibit were taken behind-the-scenes at the Paris Opera Ballet over a two year period, and are part of an upcoming book of the same name.
I was really struck by how well he understood the feeling and emotions of the living environment within a dance company. These are beautifully intimate shots that are not staged and use no additional lighting. As he says, he learned to breathe with the dancers. I understood that to involve learning how the dancers move and react, and then trying to place yourself within their space and time to illuminate those moments with light and film. The backstage scene is also not new to Gérard. He has previously published books that capture the fashion and opera worlds from behind the curtain. (The Fabric of Dreams, Un fantome á l’Opéra, and L’Etoffe Des Reves.)
The exhibit will be open for one more week, until July 21st. The Hermés Gallery is located on the top floor of the Hermés flagship store on Madison Avenue at 65th St. (don’t worry, there is an elevator if you are afraid of being too tempted by the store items). I highly recommend stopping by!
