Loves of a Ballerina

Eleanor Antin

Dec 1986 – Jan 1987

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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Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

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Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

1 2 3 4 5 6

Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

1 2 3 4 5 6

Eleanor Antin

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

1 2 3 4 5 6

Eleanor Antin

Eleanor Antinova in Loves of a Ballerina, 1986

1 2 3 4 5 6

Eleanor Antin

Self Portrait of Antinova, 1986

1 2 3 4 5 6

Eleanor Antin

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