Dance Photographer Rick Guest With Olivia Pomp Display Portraits of Dancers in WHAT LIES BENEATH Exhibition

In this, his second exhibition of dancers to be held at the Hospital Club Gallery, world renowned dance photographer Rick Guest with long-time collaborator Olivia Pomp, explore the supreme spirit and ensuing physicality that underpins a dancer's art. With this remarkable series of portraits he seeks to strip away the external layers of costume, role and performance to reveal the character of the dancers themselves. Once exposed, we see a life of dedication, resolve and sacrifice, reflected in their eyes and carved into their bodies.

The dancers appear in what they wear for their daily ballet practice. These clothes perform various functions, from the necessary preservation of heat, to a small piece of self-expression in an otherwise uniform ensemble act. Some clothing becomes talismanic and is still worn, despite having all but fallen apart. These are all further insights into the mind of the dancer.

Rick and Olivia have had the pleasure and honour of working with an astounding array of dancers and companies. The exhibition features such luminary dancers as Edward Watson, Tamara Rojo, Steven McRae, Marianela Nuñez, Alban Lendorf, Zenaida Yanowsky, Melissa Hamilton, as well dancers from the English National Ballet, the Royal Ballet, The Dresden Semperoper, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, the Richard Alston Company and the Royal Danish Ballet.

All art pieces are in a limited edition of six and will be for sale. The exhibition will have an accompanying book featuring many more images from the series, with an essay by Sarah Crompton.