In this Addressing Images we will examine photographs of British prima ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn wearing a gown designed by renowned fashion photographer Cecil Beaton. The costume was designed for the 1936 production of ‘Apparitions’ by the Sadler’s Wells Ballet. We will examine these photographs alongside images of Beaton’s fashion photography as well as other dance and performance costumes.
Niall Billings received his BA in History of Art from UCL (2014-2017) and then completed his MA at The Courtauld Institute of Art with Dr Rebecca Arnold (2017-2018). His research focuses on twentieth-century dance and its relationship to constructions of gender and psychoanalysis. His MA thesis examined constructions of queer identity within the costumes and performances of Ballet Russes’ star, Vaslav Nijinsky. His work often explores the ways in which the dancing body interacts with perceptions of physical and mental health. Currently, he is a PhD candidate supervised by Dr Arnold and is researching the development of ballet in London during the interwar period.
Organised by Dr Rebecca Arnold (The Courtauld) and Leah Gouget-Levy (The Courtauld)