A short Talk with Ashley Taylor (Vienna State Ballet's photographer and ex-Dancer)

The moment you meet him you know immediately that the „chat" is going to be an earnest one. There is a certain seriousness in his attitude towards his work, towards Art and life itself that has always impressed me – especially when you realize that you are talking to a very young man that still a whole life ahead of him.

We met in a Café in Vienna's first district for a talk that we have been planing for quite some time.

I do believe that things happen when they must happen when the situation is right and many thoughts have really „ripened", like beautiful fruits – perfect to be enjoyed at the right moment! Once more this notion, this „timing" was reconfirmed.

„Ash, when have you started dancing?" I ask casually.

„When I was nine years old... You see, I had been doing quite a lot of gymnastics at school and because of a teacher who was extremely interested in culture... well, to make a long story short: when I was 11 I entered the Royal Ballet School where I stayed until I was 19!"

„What happened next?"

„I auditioned here in Vienna and Manuel Legris took me into the company. That was back in 2010!"

I can understand this very well, I remember Ashley Taylor on stage, still very young and being impressed by his physique – long legs, long arms and incredibly beautiful feet. The kind of „gift" that you are either born with or you'll never get... But we had decided on meeting to talk about his Photography, not about dance exclusively!"

„And when have you started to become interested in photographing?"

His eyes sparkle – we had come to the point he was waiting for... „When I was 12 years old... You see, ever since I was a child Nature played an important role in my life... that also why I started photographing!"

All of a sudden, with these few words, a whole story opened itself in front of my eyes... You'll soon see what I mean: the difference between his more „formal" work as a dance photographer (Stage pictures, Rehearsals and Studio work since the 2014/15 Season) and his more „private artistic work". In it, he combines everything the way he „sees them". Aesthetics, Movement, Nature...

„I see... „, I said, sort of „lost" in thoughts. I felt as if all pieces of a big puzzle were beginning to get together...

But, as he was in his element, he went on „For me, when talking about photography, there is this incredible fascination of reducing all visual impressions to one single point! It is a kind of meditation – my connection to what is happening in front of me – in reducing everything, the „whole story" to one single moment „

„I think that I can understand that very well", I say.

„Yes, it is another language. Something that I'd describe as „photographic point of view". The process of having a whole story in this „finished product"

And he adds „It is a performance even if it is „just" a photoshoot, I'd say. That is why Nature is so important in my work: it aims to make people reflect – and read the subtitles that are „not there", understand... "

„As I have noticed during the last years, you have been working quite a lot. You are in practically every single performance that I attend... and your rehearsal pictures: these are in themselves a vast record of the creative process... If one looks more carefully into them, one can see, because of the different clothes that the dancers are using, that they were taken during a long period... „

„Yes. I do believe in persistence... Even though you cannot force the creative process... „

And how right he is. His Knowledge about Dance should also be mentioned. Just a few days ago I have received some pictures from a certain Balanchine performance in Europe. It was clear to see, that these pictures were not made by someone who understands a thing about ballet.

That is why I consider this combination of his Ballet Knowledge, Technique in Photographing and unique way of „looking at things" to tell us a condensed story in one single shoot, a priceless thing.

Especially for our attitude audience a selection of pictures made by Mr Taylor himself. Enjoy this beautiful exhibit: