MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 10 December 2010
The spirit, colour and vitality of the Ballets Russes brought to life at the
National Gallery of Australia
Today the National Gallery of Australia opens its major summer exhibition Ballets Russes: the
art of costume. The exhibition celebrates the centenary of the first Paris seasons of Sergei
Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes (Russian Ballet), the dance company that revolutionised ballet with
its sensational fusion of art, movement and music.
Featuring 150 costumes and accessories from the ballet as well as film, drawings,
photography and original programs, the exhibition brings to life the famed ballet troupe’s
stunning avant-garde performances in the largest Ballets Russes display ever held in
Australia.
“In this exhibition you will see works of art by some of the greatest modern artists such as
Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Natalia Goncharova, Léon Bakst, André Derain, Giorgio de
Chirico and Pablo Picasso, but these works are costumes that were designed to be lived and
breathed in on the stage,” said Ron Radford AM, Director of the National Gallery of Australia.
“This collection of Ballets Russes costumes which is one of the largest and finest in the world
is incredibly significant for the National Gallery of Australia. One of the central aims of the
National Gallery is to celebrate modernism and to show how arts across all media contribute
to an understanding of its influence. Ballets Russes: the art of costume is only on show in
Canberra, and we would like to thank our Presenting Partner ActewAGL for supporting this
exhibition”.
A third of the costumes and accessories displayed in this exhibition have not been seen since
they were last worn on stage. Ballets Russes: the art of costume is the result of a five year
Gallery conservation project, painstakingly conserving fragile costumes often thread by thread.
Ballets Russes: the art of costume will also feature new acquisitions purchased in recent years
including costumes and accessories designed by Matisse, Picasso and de Chirico.
The nature of the Ballets Russes costumes means they are some of the most fragile pieces in
the national collection and therefore only rarely displayed.
“The costumes designed and made for the Ballets Russes were conceived in the context of
powerful and emotional artistic collaboration and command attention as persuasive works of
art in their own right, long after they ceased to be worn on stage. Their ingenious design, cut
and construction, innovative colours and patterns, the use of a variety of fabrics and trim
materials, come together with the purpose of being worn in complex action by athletic dancers
for maximum visual impact on stage,” said Senor Curator of Decorative Arts and Design and
exhibition curator Dr Robert Bell AM.
Michael Costello, CEO of ActewAGL, said “ActewAGL is thrilled to partner with the National
Gallery of Australia for this major exhibition, Ballets Russes the art of costume which is sure to
draw visitors to Canberra over summer and autumn. This partnership demonstrates our
continued commitment to supporting Canberra tourism, business and the community”.
The National Gallery of Australia’s collection of Ballets Russes costumes began with the
purchase of nearly 400 significant pieces at a Sotheby’s auction in London in the 1973,
another considerable purchase was made in 1976. The Gallery has added to the collection in
the decades following and this exhibition includes new acquisitions purchased in the last few
years.
The exhibition showcases 34 productions from 1909 to 1940, evoking the exoticism and
drama of its performances.
Serge Diaghilev was instrumental in bringing together the finest artists of the early 20th century
including visual artists, composers and choreographers to create a new modern art form. The
company originated in Russia under Diaghilev’s charismatic leadership – but they never
performed there. They toured throughout Europe and America and brought together the
talents of composers such as Igor Stravinsky (who launched his career with the Ballets
Russes and was Diaghilev’s closest musical collaborator), and Claude Debussy;
choreographers, Michele Fokine, Leonide Massine and George Balanchine and dancers such
as Vaslav Njinksy.
After Diaghilev's untimely death in 1929, several new companies were formed to continue and
develop his legacy, the most important being Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, formed in
Monaco in 1932 by the Russian entrepreneur Colonel Wassily de Basil. This company toured
in Australia three times during the 1930s, enthralling audiences with its productions.
This exhibition aims to celebrate the centenary of the Ballets Russes by showing how its spirit
continues for our time and place.
To download images please visit:
nga.gov.au/mediacentre
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online at:
nga.gov.au
Ballets Russes: the art of costume was opened by Darcey Bussell on Thursday 9 December
2010. Darcey will be signing copies of her books in The Magic Ballerina series on today,
Friday 10 December at the National Gallery of Australia from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm.
To celebrate the opening weekend of Ballets Russes: the art of costume on Saturday 11 and
Sunday 12 December all visitors who purchase an adult or child ticket will receive an upgrade
to a season pass.
Media enquiries:
Kirsten Downie, Head of Marketing and Communications,National Gallery of Australia
T: 02 6240 6643 M: 0407 523 948 E: kirsten.downie@nga.gov.au
Sandra Sweeney, Marketing Manager, National Gallery of Australia
T: 02 6240 6700 M: 0414 379 881 E: sandra.sweeney@nga.gov.au
Libby Greig, Publicist
T: 0418 194 554 E: egreig@bigpond.net.au