Jack Vettriano - The Ballroom Spy
An exhibition of paintings by Jack Vettriano and photographs by Jeanette Jones
14th May – 19th June 2011
Jack Vettriano and photographer, Jeanette Jones, have teamed up for an exhibition of their dance inspired works.
Entitled, The Ballroom Spy, their joint exhibition will open at Heartbreak in London on Saturday 14th May and will run until Sunday 19th June, before transferring to the Royal West of England Academy, Bristol, where it will run from 2nd July to 31st August 2011.
Featuring twelve new paintings by Jack Vettriano and over forty photographs by Jeanette Jones, The Ballroom Spy showcases the glamorous and intoxicating world of professional ballroom dancing, taking the viewer on stage and behind the scenes, from covert glimpse of backstage nerves to the full flourish bravado of performance under glare of the spotlight.
Vettriano’s paintings are 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.
Jack Vettriano met Jeanette Jones in the late 1990’s and was bowled away by her talent. “She manages to capture the magic and realism of ballroom. She’s able to build an instant rapport with the dancers, and works brilliantly under pressure. She only has one chance to record that moment, that look, that heel flick. Whereas I have the luxury to contemplate, to take my time and choose the moment that I wish to paint.”
For Jones, the opportunity to collaborate with Vettriano was too good to resist. Known for her stunning black and white photographs, she was intrigued to see how Jack would respond to her work. “I’m a huge fan of his work as well as counting him as a friend, so it has been great to work together on this exhibition.”
3. For more information about Jack Vettriano, please visit: www.jackvettriano.com
