VISU Contemporary Presents Pari Dukovic Photography Exhibition, “En Pointe – Dance & Fashion”
VISU Contemporary Presents Pari Dukovic Photography Exhibition, “En Pointe – Dance & Fashion”
Miami Beach fine art gallery VISU Contemporary announced its upcoming exhibition, “Pari Dukovic: En Pointe – Dance & Fashion,” on view from October 17 through November 16, featuring 25 photographs by award-winning photographer Pari Dukovic. Displayed in a gallery space for the first time, the artworks include a decade of nearly 30 high-fashion designers’ costumes created for the New York City Ballet (NYCB)’s annual Fall Fashion Gala, which was conceived by Sarah Jessica Parker in 2012. Dukovic shot the couture designs on 11 of the ballet’s renowned dancers for the Rizzoli book, New York City Ballet: Choreography & Couture, authored by NYCB Director of Costumes Marc Happel and released last year. The exhibition will also feature an exclusive, never-before-seen outtake from the book.
The images capture the ethereal beauty and strength of the dancers juxtaposed with the handmade detail and sophistication of the haute couture. Striking color and arrested movement portraits will create a visually immersive experience in the space. VISU Contemporary will be the first to exhibit these dazzling photographs, available for sale exclusively through the gallery. An artist talk at The Bass Museum of Art will take place on October 16 from 5-6 p.m., followed by a public grand opening and meet-and-greet with Dukovic on October 17 from 6-8 p.m.
Highlights of “Pari Dukovic: En Pointe – Dance & Fashion” include photographs of NYCB stars wearing Thom Browne’s distinctively tailored suits, Iris van Herpen’s articulated reflective carapaces, Sarah Burton’s lavish ombré and embellished designs for Alexander McQueen, and the late Virgil Abloh’s rigorously ruched tulle. Other notable designers whose costumes appear in the exhibition include Prabal Gurung, Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez, Valentino, Gareth Pugh and Zac Posen.
“We are thrilled to curate and host this captivating exhibition featuring the esteemed Pari Dukovic’s amazing fine art photography of some of the world’s most gorgeous dancers wearing the glamorous handmade designs of some of the most noted high-fashion designers,” said Bruce Halpryn, co-owner of VISU Contemporary. “We are proud to serve as the exclusive worldwide gallery to offer this body of work by an extraordinary artist of our time.”
“Taking these images off the page and onto the gallery walls allows me to see them with a fresh vision on a grander scale, where the artistry they capture becomes larger than life,” said Dukovic. “I want each shot to seem like a portrait of the dancer in movement, expressed through their instrument – the body. My inspirations ranged from Muybridge and Steichen to Matisse and Boccioni, as I sought to honor the years of discipline and hours of practice that become, in a split second, a dancer’s artful athleticism. The same applies to the fashion designers’ creative genius poured into every design and the craftsmanship of the NYCB Costume Shop artisans who brought the designs to life.”
