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RECENT
EXHIBITS
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
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2007
Memorable Moments from 75 Years
Prominent artists, students, and audience members conjure up their
own indelible memories in words and pictures, drawing upon the
Jacob's Pillow Archives to celebrate this momentous anniversary.
As part of the exhibition, a new permanent interactive touch-screen
kiosk displays films and videos from throughout the Festival's
past.
7.5 Seasons: Mike van Sleen
Photographer-in-Residence at the Pillow for the most recent ten
percent of its history, Mike van Sleen devises unique portraits
of contemporary dancemakers. Merce Cunningham, Peter Boal, Anna
Halprin, and others are featured in a fascinating collection photographed
here and recently exhibited in France at Lyon 's Maison de la
Danse.
Dancing Dutch
The vigorous and vital dance scene in The Netherlands is highlighted
in this sampling of current work by prominent Dutch photographers,
focusing on the latest in concert dance. A broad overview is on
view, from the country's largest company, Het Nationale Ballet,
to some of the newest young artists active today.
The Ballet Goes to Camp
A 1941 photo spread in The New York Times featured distinctive
images of Anton Dolin, Alicia Markova, Nora Kaye, and other Ballet
Theatre stars in residence at the Pillow. Dozens of the original
negatives by Hans Knopf have recently come to light and new exhibition
prints are now displayed for the first time along with the original
photo feature.
Anniversary Salute: John Lindquist and John Van Lund
These two extraordinary photographers documented dancers at the
Pillow from 1938 until well into the 1990s. Some of their classic
prints are on view in a new display to commemorate the legacy
they helped create.
2006
Ted
Shawn First
Pillow
Founder Ted Shawn is saluted in a prelude to the 75th anniversary
celebrations coming in 2007. This broad overview of Shawn's career,
the first ever mounted here, includes set pieces, costumes, photographs,
moving images, and documents that shed light on this trailblazing
American dance pioneer and his multiple roles as performer, choreographer,
teacher, author, and impresario.
Philip
Trager: A Pillow Retrospective
Two
new books by Philip Trager feature photographs taken at Jacob's
Pillow, and this survey is conceived as a counterpart to the retrospective
exhibition recently mounted at Wesleyan University before touring
in the months ahead. On view are a few of the many photographs
Trager made here during the 1990s, some never before seen, featuring
Eiko and Koma, Ralph Lemon, David Parsons, and others.
Basil
Childers
Based
in Portland, Oregon, up-and-coming photographer Basil Childers
has had his work published in major publications across the country
and around the globe. Here are some eye-popping color photographs
of movers and shakers in the dance world, including Trey McIntyre,
Chunky Move, Alonzo King's LINES, Ronald K. Brown, and more.
Picturing
Shawn
Seen
through the eyes of visual artists such as Georg Kolbe, Major
Felten, and Al Hirschfeld, Pillow founder Ted Shawn comes across
in a new light. For the first time, portraits and other original
artworks inspired by Shawn are shown together to pay tribute to
the father of American dance.
Highlights
of the Collection
Photographs
and programs from the permanent collection of Jacob's Pillow line
the walls of this historic structure, where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers
first rehearsed in 1933 and performances were given for the first
nine years of the Festival. Among the photos featured are images
from recent seasons by Photographer-in-Residence Mike van Sleen.
2005
Masters
of Movement: Portraits of America's Great Choreographers
Photographer Rose Eichenbaum has documented dozens of prominent
dancemakers in both words and unforgettable images, collected
in a new book from Smithsonian Press. On display here are unique
portraits of Gregory Hines, Edward Villella, Ann Reinking, Judith
Jamison, and many others, along with excerpts from interviews
that Eichenbaum conducted with each subject.
Lost,
Found, Restored
The
thrill of rediscovery permeates this overview of some recently
acquired or restored riches in the Pillow's exclusive archives.
Some of the photos come from the original negatives of longtime
resident photographer John Van Lund, while others were found in
a 1930s scrapbook offered on eBay. Including rare images of famous
dancers and scenes on the Pillow site, most of this exhibit is
on view for the first time anywhere.
Hip
Hop Files: Photos by Martha Cooper
Martha
Cooper is regarded as the first and foremost photographer of hip-hop
culture in New York City. While the publication of Cooper's photographs
in the early '80s disseminated the culture both at home and abroad,
her new book, Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984, makes
a significant part of her extensive and unique archive accessible
for the first time. This exclusive exhibition provides an inside
look at the inception of an art form.
Highlights
of the Collection
For
more than twenty years, writer Saul Goodman and photographer Zachary
Freyman produced monthly spreads in Dance Magazine spotlighting
a particular dance figure. Some of these individuals, including
Donald McKayle, Carmen deLavallade, and Paul Taylor, are also
featured in this summer's Masters of Movement exhibition.
Displayed here are the original magazine spreads that introduced
them to the American dance public in the 1950s and '60s.
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2004
America's
Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: The First 100
This extensive touring exhibit spotlights 100 of the greatest
performers, choreographers, companies, and dances designated as
"treasures" by the Dance Heritage Coalition. A wide variety of
images, an interactive computer display, and dozens of extraordinary
film clips are augmented by authentic artifacts from the collection
of Jacob's Pillow, which is itself on the list of treasures.
Balanchine
at the Pillow
The centennial of George Balanchine offers a special opportunity
to examine mementos of extraordinary Pillow performances spanning
more than half a century. Photographs and rare film footage of
Balanchine's choreography feature stars such as Tanaquil LeClercq,
Maria Tallchief, Melissa Hayden, Edward Villella, Suzanne Farrell,
Peter Martins, and many others.
Unseen: Photos by Mike van Sleen
In recent years, resident photographer Mike Van Sleen has captured
unique portraits of Pillow artists off the stage and far from
the studios. From Doug Varone in a bareback pose to Felix Ruckert
literally in the kitchen sink, these images capture dancers as
they are rarely seen.
Highlights
of the Collection
Photographs and programs from the permanent collection of Jacob's
Pillow line the walls of this historic structure, slated for restoration
in the coming year, where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers first rehearsed
in 1933 and performances were given for the first nine years of
the Festival.
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Foster
Fitz-Simons in a photo by John Lindquist.
Gregory
Hines from Masters of Movement.
Photo:
Rose Eichenbaum
Poster
by Major Felten for Ted Shawn, 1931.
From
America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: The
First 100 |
2003
A Landmark Season
Memories of the 70th anniversary season are evoked in this photographic
journal, captured on the stage, in the studio, and around the
grounds of the Pillow. This kaleidoscopic view of a landmark season
includes new exhibition prints by Rose Eichenbaum, Mike van Sleen,
Carl Rosenstein, and Alan E. Solomon. Support for A Landmark
Season is provided by The Leir Charitable Trusts in memory
of Henry J. Leir.
Landmarks of Jacob's Pillow
The Pillow's most historic sites are seen in newly-commissioned
watercolors by Leonard Weber, along with reminders of the signal
events that have put Jacob's Pillow on the map. This display explains
why the Pillow is the very first National Historic Landmark to
be chosen for its connection to dance, illuminating just what
makes this place so unique.
Landmark Premieres
Close to 500 dances have had their very first performances at
Jacob's Pillow through the years. Here are mementos from just
a few of them, including rarely-seen photographs of Margot Fonteyn,
The Paul Taylor Dance Company, Ruth St. Denis, Ralph Lemon, and
a host of others.
Lifelike Portrait
An evocative portrait of Merce Cunningham, as he performs a solo
dance for hands and fingers, is created through motion capture
and real-time graphics and rendering. This unique artwork by Paul
Kaiser, Shelley Eshkar and Marc Downie is on continuous view on
a large video monitor.
Landmarks from the Collection
Photographs and programs from the permanent collection of Jacob's
Pillow line the walls of this historic structure, where Ted Shawn's
Men Dancers first rehearsed in 1933 and performances were given
for the first nine years of the Festival.
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Katherine
Dunham, 2002.
From
A Landmark Season.
Photo:
Mike van Sleen |
2002
Souvenirs of Seventy Seasons
To mark this anniversary year, significant mementos have been
gathered from each of the Pillow's seventy seasons, beginning
with the very first performances in 1933. Programs, posters, photographs,
films, costumes and other unique artifacts chart both the highlights
and some little-known chapters in the history of America's oldest
dance festival. A cornucopia of artists, styles, and periods are
represented in this entertaining journey through Jacob's Pillow
history.
Al Hirschfeld Dances
The inimitable Al Hirschfeld enters his 100th year this summer,
and he is celebrated here with a collection of some of his most
memorable dance drawings. His new drawing of Ted Shawn is a signature
image for the Pillow's 2002 season, and he has also portrayed
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Martha Graham, Geoffrey Holder, Judith Jamison,
and a host of other dance stars.
Images of Katherine Dunham
Improbable as it seems, this nonagenarian dance pioneer never
presented her spectacular theatrical creations at the Pillow.
These images from her 70-year career fill in some of the gaps,
providing a glimpse of the remarkable theatricality that blazed
a trail for Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, and many
other important artists.
Martha @ the Pillow
Martha Graham's continuing influence in the dance world is commemorated
through signature images of the dancer in her prime alongside
contemporary photographs of Richard Move as Martha. Photographs
of Graham's visits to the Pillow in the 1950s and 1980s give particular
resonance to the current season's engagement of Richard Move in
his evocative tribute to Graham.
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Joseph
H. Pilates, 1943.
From
Souvenirs of 70 Seasons.
Photo:
John Lindquist,
© Harvard Theatre Collection |
2001
Look Out: Photographing Dancers Outdoors
Outdoor photographs have been a tradition at Jacob's Pillow since
the 1930s, with a surprisingly wide range of styles employed by
a variety of photographers. Here's a chance to discover vintage
classics and new images of Mark Morris, Eiko and Koma, the Limón
Dance Company, and many others. Among the photographers represented
are John Lindquist, Philip Trager, John Van Lund, Stephan Driscoll,
and Michael Philip Manheim.
Jacob's Ladder Trail: From Wilderness Trail to Scenic
Byway
Nearby Highway 20 was originally an Indian trail and later a stagecoach
route, known for generations as Jacob's Ladder. Once a major link
between Boston and Albany, the road and its poetic nickname led
directly to the naming of Jacob's Pillow long before dancers created
their own legacy here. The fascinating story of this fabled road
is detailed in a new exhibit, unveiled here to commemorate the
Pillow's recent listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Produced by the Jacob's Ladder Trail Scenic Byway in cooperation
with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and the Berkshire
Regional Planning Commission.
Denishawn in Asia, 1925-26
Commemorating the Pillow engagement of dancers from Cambodia,
the spotlight here is on an unprecedented 15-month tour of Asia
by Ted Shawn, Ruth St. Denis, and their Denishawn Dancers. A time
capsule of rare photographs, costumes, films, and other memorabilia
bring this voyage of discovery back to life exactly 75 years after
the history-making performances in India, China, Japan, and other
distant locales.
Night Light
Ann Carlson's site-specific performance event starts with vintage
images of Jacob's Pillow and then presents the pictures as tableaux
vivants, with dancers and actors in the original settings around
the grounds. Displayed here are the original quirky and obscure
photographs utilized as source material for the production, spanning
a number of decades and genres.
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Mark
Morris, 1982. From Look Out: Photographing Dancers
Outdoors. Photo: Stephan Driscol.
Ted
Shawn as Siva, 1926.
From
Denishawn in Asia. |
2000
Jack Mitchell: Fifty Years of Dance Photographs
An anniversary salute to Jack Mitchell, who began his world-renowned
career in dance photography right here at Jacob's Pillow in 1950.
Some of his most famous images may be seen along with less-familiar
photographs of Maria Tallchief, Alvin Ailey, Mikhail Baryshnikov,
Merce Cunningham, and many others. Favorite Pillow artists are
given special attention in this not-to-be-missed collection of
special exhibition prints with accompanying commentary by the
photographer.
Remembering The Dancer and The Dance
The
Estate Project for Artists with AIDS leads efforts to chronicle
the life-work of creative artists whose lives are tragically cut
short. Their explorations of motion-capture technology to preserve
movement in its most essential form are among the most fascinating
and promising techniques in use today. Some of their latest work
with the Balanchine Trust and dancers from American Ballet Theatre
is seen in video demonstrations produced by motion-capture masters
Paul Kaiser and Shelley Eshkar.
Assemblages by Paul Taylor
Celebrating
the legendary dancemaker's 70th birthday, artworks that he created
in his “wayward” youth from found objects are on public display
for the very first time – a representative collection of assemblages
that are joyful, humorous, haunting, bawdy, ingenious, and just
as memorable as the dances for which he is known.
Dancers' Best Friends
Liz Lerman's new dance, In Praise of Animals and Their People,
is the inspiration for this photographic celebration of famous
dancers with their pets, organized with the help of Dance Magazine's
Richard Philp. Little-known portraits of George Balanchine, José
Limón, Ted Shawn and many others show these legendary figures
in uncustomary poses with feathered and furry partners.
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1999
Lois Greenfield Photography
Without tricks or manipulation of any kind, Lois Greenfield catches
the improbable, fleeting movements of bodies in motion. In her
photos of David Parsons, Doug Varone, Margie Gillis, and others,
Greenfield seems to have frozen on film not just the lithe and
acrobatic forms of dancers performing their art, but the purity
and exhilaration of movement itself. She has specially assembled
this exhibition to complement the Pillow's 1999 season.
Motion Captured
Without the limitations of still photographs, films, and videos,
how can we preserve movement itself? Intriguing answers are presented
to this question, which has particular urgency when posed by the
Estate Project for Artists with AIDS. Paul Kaiser and Shelley
Eshkar (creators of the acclaimed exhibit, Ghostcatching)
are working with the Estate Project and with Merce Cunningham
and Bill T. Jones on some of the “motion capture” applications
seen here.
Invisible Wings
Regular showings of this half-hour video documentary by Núria
Olivé-Bellés take viewers behind the scenes of last
season's Underground Railroad project. Joanna Haigood's Zaccho
Dance Theater mines the Pillow's history as a haven both for runaway
slaves and for generations of dancers.
Al Hirschfeld's Dance Lines
Commemorating the legendary illustrator's 96th birthday, some
of his most celebrated dance drawings are collected here for the
first time. Favorite Pillow personalities such as Ann Reinking,
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Bill Irwin, and Marge Champion are depicted
in the unmistakable Hirschfeld style.
Moschen Works
In photographs by Peter Angelo Simon and Jessica Wickham, the
one-of-a-kind juggling/dancer illusionist MichaelMoschen is seen
perfecting his craft. And in his own outdoor kinetic sculptures,
Moschen shares another aspect of his creative vision.
A World of Dance at the Pillow
Decades before most dance presenters focused on other cultures,
Jacob's Pillow audiences were transported around the globe on
a regular basis. Here are some of the earliest traces of these
explorations, seen through the lenses of longtime Pillow photographers
John Van Lund and the late John Lindquist.
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1998
Inside the Pillow: The Making of Dancers & Dances in the Jacob's
Pillow Studios
A behind-the-scenes look at little-known facets of the Pillow,
this exhibit takes the viewer inside the studio to see dancers
in action. Photographs, films, and memorabilia reveal the classes
and rehearsals that comprise the nucleus of daily life here.
Dance on Screen: Videos by Dennis Diamond
The backstage stories of two unique companies, Jazz Tap Ensemble
and Urban Bush Women, are highlighted in a special large-screen
display. Mini-documentaries give a taste of how these artists
prepare for the stage.
Dancing on the Keys
This interactive computer installation offers a hand-on opportunity
to view dance-related web sites and other special features such
as a multi-media Merce Cunningham work, Hand-Drawn Spaces.
The Photographs of John Van Lund
Newly-mounted prints of a dozen select images document the 40-year
career of this longtime staff photographer. Included are rarely
seen performance shots of Edward Villella, Ruth St. Denis, Balasaraswati,
Erik Bruhn, and others.
Doris Duke's Dance Legacy
An overview of the late Doris Duke's lifelong involvement with
dance, including such personalities as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson,
Martha Graham, Rudolf Nureyev, and Katherine Dunham. Photographs,
posters, and memorabilia shed new light on a legendary philanthropist
whose name now adorns this superlative dance space.
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Erik
Bruhn and Sonia Arova, 1957.
From
The Photographs of John Van Lund.
Photo:
John Van Lund |
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