Dancing at The Place

an art exhibition by Ellen Charap

Ellen (Kuhn) Charap (20 April 1937 – 10 July 2013)

About the Artist

Ellen loved dance. She enjoyed watching it and was always fascinated by how the body in motion would be captured in art. Her own work was mostly figurative, in the abstract expressionist style she   acquired as a student first at Madison, Wisconsin, then at the University of California at Berkeley. She loved the paintings of Cézanne, de Kooning, and especially Matisse. His great paintings La Danse inspired two of Ellen's large early paintings that also recall Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring. One is displayed for the first time today.

Ellen and The Place

When Ellen moved to London, one of the most fruitful times in her creative life was at The Place. In the 1980s, she attended rehearsals of The London Contemporary Dance Theatre, and later of the Richard Alston Dance Company, and drew the dancers in action. She worked fast in coloured chalk and pencils, with free gestures that match the spirit of the dancers themselves. Later she would make more ambitious works based on photographs she had taken in these intimate surroundings.

This small exhibition shows a selection of some of her works from that time. All proceeds from sales will be donated to the Iris Tomlinson Fund. Ellen would be delighted that her works can be associated with new generations who are keeping the spirit of dance alive at The Place.

If you are interested in making a purchase, please let one of the members of staff know and we will contact you to arrange payment and handling.