Ecstatic Release!

“Beyond the ethereal embrace of Venice, where the shimmering canals reflect a kaleidoscope of history and artistry, Indigo Lewin, our photographic artist-in-residence, captures a world few have the privilege to witness: the intimate moments that unfold backstage at the Biennale Danza.” - Wayne McGregor

In 184 pages the book gathers the images shot by photographer Indigo Lewin, artist in residence, during the past four editions of the Biennale Danza (2021-2024).

Following the introduction by the President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco and the Artistic Director Wayne McGregor, a rich collection of almost stolen images reveals the “intimate, prosaic, transformative" moments lived by the dancers of the International Festival of Contemporary Dance.

Amidst twisting torsos, sweat-soaked tank tops, wornout socks, sequins, bodies in motion and close-ups of hands and feet, this catalogue emerges as “a celebration of movement, of humanity and above all the sublime” in dance, offering “an intimate, raw and visceral portrait” of what takes place behind the scenes at the Festival, inviting enthusiasts of the photographic gesture and the art of dance to discover what it means to be a dancer, a choreographer, an artist.

To pay tribute to the work of Indigo Lewin and to bid her farewell, the Biennale Danza 2025, in collaboration with the Historical Archive of the Contemporary Arts (ASAC), will present a selection of her remarkable photographs in an exhibition to be shown on the walls of the future offices of La Biennale’s Archive at the Arsenale from 17 July to 2 August 2025.

Text in English and Italian.