the moving image

Being an established artist who also dabbles in a creative side project or two may seem par for the course these days, particularly when it comes to photography—see Karl Lagerfeld, Patti Smith, and Bryan Adams. Add dancer/actor Mikhail Baryshnikov to the list. "Merce My Way: The Merce Cunningham Dance Company in Photographs," which opens today at Manhattan's 401 Projects, showcases Baryshnikov's work behind the lens. Though initially loath to shoot fellow dancers (he preferred black and white portraits and travel photography), Baryshnikov changed course after a bit of study. Inspired by the work of Alexey Brodovitch and Irving Penn, he chose to forego crystalline stills in favor of blurred edges. The result is a series of colorful abstracts—swooping, lunging bodies that easily suggest the frenzied time Baryshnikov spent running back and forth shooting Cunningham's dress rehearsals. So what about the legendary choreographer appealed to one of the most acclaimed dancers of the last century? Baryshnikov sums it up succinctly: "His unpredictability."

—Sarah Fones

Photo: Mikhail Baryshnikov, courtesy of 401 Projects