Loves of a Ballerina

Eleanor Antin

Dec 5, 1986 – Jan 2, 1987

Love's Shadow (1986) by Eleanor Antin

Eleanor Antin

"Liebesschatten (Loves Shadow)" from "Loves of a Ballerina,” 1986

Description


Eleanora Antinova, the once celebrated Black Ballerina of the Ballet Russe, has fallen on hard times. Diaghilev has died, the troupe has disbanded, and Eleanora has returned to her native America, where she is trying to eke out a living in seedy vaudeville houses and silent films – with what success this exhibition shows. Comedy shorts, spicy farces, even, alas, a semi "blue movie", exploiting her ballerina role, play in a deserted movie house, a wrecked train, and an old theatrical dressing room, and give and account of this part of Antinova's American career.

This current exhibition is an intersection of sculpture and film in which the films are embedded in sets that serve as a commentary on the latest stage of the Ballerina's career.

For many years, Eleanor Antin has been presenting an autobiographical theatre of the soul, through the lives of her three personae – the Ballerina, the King and the Nurse – in performances and exhibitions of photography, video, drawing, writing and sculpture.

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Installation view 1 of Loves of a Ballerina (1986) by Eleanor Antin

Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

Installation view 1 of Loves of a Ballerina (1986) by Eleanor Antin

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Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

Installation view 2 of Loves of a Ballerina (1986) by Eleanor Antin

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Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

Loves Shadow (1986) by Eleanor Antin (view 2)

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Eleanor Antin

"Liebesschatten (Loves Shadow)" from "Loves of a Ballerina,” 1986

Loves of a Ballerina Poster by Eleanor Antin

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Eleanor Antin

Eleanor Antinova in Loves of a Ballerina, 1986

Portrait of Antinova (1986) by Eleanor Antin

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Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

Swan Lake (1986) by Eleanor Antin

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Eleanor Antin

"Swan Lake" from "Loves of a Ballerina,” 1986