STEPH LOPEZ ART

Ballet Dancers 1 was made for the group exhibit “Ballet in Pinto”, a Ballet Philippines x Pinto Art Museum & Arboretum collaboration. The artists’ works were exhibited from Dec 15, 2023 -17 at the Theatre at Solaire. The exhibit opened on the gala night of Ballet Philippines’ “Christmas Fairytales”.

You may view all the works on exhibit via my Facebook post or this post from Pinto Museum’s Facebook page. The works are now on display at Pinto Art Museum, until February 11, 2024.

Exhibit notes:

Ballet in Pintô

Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum, in an extraordinary collaboration with Ballet Philippines, proudly presents Ballet in Pintô, an exhibition that celebrates the harmonious convergence of visual arts and dance. Curated by the esteemed Ferdie Montemayor and featuring 30 of some of the most talented artists working today, this showcase testifies to the profound beauty when two distinct art forms seamlessly come together.

Inspired by the idea of preserving the ephemeral and fleeting movements of dance in the timeless realm of visual arts, Ballet in Pinto is a unique exploration into the expressive qualities of both mediums. Renowned painters, such as Edgar Degas and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, known for their iconic depictions of dance, provide the creative impetus for the artists contributing to this exhibition.

Members of the prestigious Ballet Philippines brought the world of ballet to the artists’ canvases by demonstrating iconic movements and expressive qualities of the human body when they visited the museum. Transcending boundaries by way of medium, style, and thematic preoccupation, this collaboration brings together painters, sculptors, and a photographer whose interpretations of the graceful and dynamic poses inherent in the art of ballet are in full display in this exhibition.

Ballet, considered by many as the most expressive form of dance, takes center stage as artists, through their unique perspectives, convey both its bodily grace and spiritual essence. Some pieces present the dance in exquisite clarity, capturing the physicality of each movement, while others embark on a more subjective and abstract route, focusing on the feeling rather than the literal representation of the dance.

Throughout the exhibition, the relationship between visual arts and ballet is explored, emphasizing the choreography between these two expressive forms. Each piece on display serves as a poignant testament to the artists’ ability to capture the ethereal beauty, strength, and storytelling elements embedded in the movements of ballet.

As Ballet in Pintô unfolds, it not only showcases the artistic prowess of the creators but also opens a dialogue about the potential for future collaborations between Pintô Art Museum and Arboretum and Ballet Philippines. This partnership holds the promise of more beautiful intersections between visual arts and dance, creating a legacy in which color and movement unite.

-Carlomar Arcangel Daoana

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I made the piece below, Ballet Dancers 2, for the Alay26 group exhibit at Boston Gallery. Alay is the first and longest running annual yearend group exhibit in Manila.

Ballet Dancers 2. Stainless steel stand, wire, acrylic epoxy. 12 x8 x 14.5 in (l x w x h). 2023.