Ballet — Alexey Brodovitch. Published by Little Steidl.
In the 1970’s, I came across an old book with an intriguing title, Ballet. The photographs, grainy and not always in focus, were full of movement and grace. The layouts for that time period were unusual—spontaneous. For years, I cherished this extraordinary book until at some point, decades after moving up and down Manhattan, it disappeared. I thought of the loss of this book often as Alexey Brodovitch was an important mentor in my life through my family and colleagues who studied and worked for him: Bea Feitler, Marvin Israel, Richard Avedon, and even my mother-in-law Evelyn Avedon, one of the few women in Brodovitch’s photography workshops. Stories told about him were always a rich presence in our lives. I am thrilled publisher Little Steidl has reissued this remarkable 1945 edition!
Elizabeth Avedon is an Independent Curator and Photo Consultant. She is a former Director of Photo-Eye Gallery, Santa Fe, and was honored to receive the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Griffin Museum of Photography.
Photo by Jerry Atnip