Photography Dances its Way into Mt. Vernon Public Library

Mount Vernon’s Public Library, in collaboration with ArtsWestchester, is taking center stage during its new exhibition of renowned local artists who immortalize the grace, athleticism, and artistry of dance – through photography. Grace in Motion: Photographing Dancefeatures contemporary images of dance performances from around the world, as well as dancers from regional companies. On view in the Mount Vernon Public Library’s Rotunda Gallery from June 17 – August 2, 2014, this exhibition features sixteen pieces that highlight the universality, beauty and expressive quality of dance. The show consists of selections from an exhibition of the same title, which was on view at ArtsWestchester’s Peckham and Shenkman Galleries this past winter. For more information, visit: artsw.org/grace-in-motion

Grace in Motion: Photographing Dance melds two vibrant artistic mediums, performance art and visual art, through the captivating works of established local photographers, Stephanie Berger, Ira Block and Ellen Crane.

“Grace in Motion puts prominent dance companies, award-winning choreographers and renowned photographers in a kind of ‘stop-frame’ spotlight,” says ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam. “Grace in Motion brings two vibrant artistic communities together – dance and the visual arts – in a collaborative effort that celebrates them both.”

Grace in Motion: Photographing Dance

On View: June 17th- August 2nd

Hours:  Mon – Thurs, 10am – 8:30pm; Fri,  10am – 6pm; Sat,  10am – 5pm

Where: Mt. Vernon Public Library, Rotunda Gallery, 28 S. 1st Ave, Mt Vernon, NY

About the Artists:

Stephanie Berger (Piermont, NY) – Since 1986, Stephanie Berger has been photographing performance and cultural events at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Carnegie Hall, The Museum of Modern Art, and The Whitney Museum. She has been the Lincoln Center Festival staff photographer since its inception in 1996, and has been commissioned by major orchestras and dance companies. A frequent a contributor to many publications, Berger’s work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, ArtsNews, New York Magazine, and Film Comment.

Ira Block (New York, NY) – Ira Block is an internationally renowned photojournalist, teacher, and workshop leader who has produced over 30 stories for National Geographic Magazine and its affiliates N.G. Traveler and Adventure. He began his career as a newspaper photographer, earning numerous press club awards. His momentous coffee table book, Saving America’s Treasures was a collaborative effort among the Clinton White House, National Geographic Society, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Ira’s unique vision and outstanding lighting skills have made him the “go to photographer” for complex assignments; he is sought after for assignments ranging from shooting ancient artifacts in Greece to photographing dinosaur fossils in the Gobi desert. His photographic exhibit Faces of Hope, portraits of survivors and images of objects retrieved from the aftermath of the World Trade Center tragedy, are part of the permanent collection of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Ellen Crane (Dobbs Ferry, NY) – A ballerina in the ‘80s, Crane found that she enjoyed watching and analyzing movement as much as dancing. After moving to New York City to further her dance career, she eventually entered the Gallatin School at New York University to pursue her interest in photography. An accidental change in her camera’s shutter speed during a college assignment resulted in her first motion study: a photographic method she has continued to pursue as a way to convey the expression and mystery of dance. Crane has worked with renowned dance photographer Lois Greenfield and covered dance as a freelance photographer for publications including The New York Times, The Village Voice, New York Magazine and Dance Magazine. Her images of students and faculty at The School of American Ballet, an affiliate of The New York City Ballet, have been exhibited at Lincoln Center.