Jack Vettriano and photographer, Jeanette Jones, have teamed up for The Ballroom Spy, an exhibition of their dance inspired works which opens at Heartbreak in London on 14th May 2011.
Featuring over forty photographs by Jeanette Jones and twelve new paintings by Jack Vettriano, The Ballroom Spy showcases the glamorous and intoxicating world of professional ballroom dancing, taking the viewer on stage and behind the scenes; from covert glimpses of backstage nerves to the full flourish bravado of performance under the glare of the spotlight.
The Ballroom Spy opens to the public on Saturday 14th May and runs until Sunday 19th June 2011. The exhibition then transfers to the Royal West of England Academy in Clifton, Bristol, from Saturday 2nd July to Wednesday 31st August 2011.
Vettriano’s paintings include interpretations of classic images from Jones’ impressive archive of photographs shot at championship competitions around the country over the last ten years. He releases the characters from their black and white world and puts them into his own signature settings, steeped in colour.
An accomplished dancer herself, Jones captures the split second moments that define the look and mood of the different routines from a classic Waltz to the intense passion of a Tango. Known for her ability to win the confidence of her subjects, Jones has been given very rare access to the dance floor at championships and to preparations backstage. Her classic and edgy photographs offer us a glimpse behind the scenes and up close and personal with the key players of the ballroom dancing world.
Vettriano met Jones in the mid 1990’s and has been a collector of her gorgeous black and white photographs ever since with examples of her work hanging in his homes in London and Kirkcaldy.
The Ballroom Spy touring exhibition – dates and venues:
14th May – 19th June 2011
Heartbreak
17 Bulstrode Street
London W1U 2JH
Tel: 020 3219 5710
Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00 Sunday 11:00-16:00
Admission Free
Transferring
1st July – 31st August 2011
Royal West of England Academy
Queen’s Road
Clifton
Bristol BS8 1PX
Tel: 0117 973 5129
www.rwa.org.uk
Mon-Sat 10:00-17:30 Sunday 14:00-17:00
