A FRAGMENT OF HISTORY ON EXPOSED:
THE PERFORMER BACKSTAGE AND ARTIST’S STATEMENT

Texas-based artist, Michele Wambaugh, is the only photographer to document the behind the scenes milieu of over 40 major dance, theater and opera companies, including musicals on Broadway and London stages.

The series began quite modestly in the Oakland Ballet Company’s classes during 1979. By 1980, there was enough material for a solo exhibition at the Oakland Museum. “People always ask me how I get to photograph backstage,” she has said. “It is never easy, I am just extremely persistent.” She was the first photographer in the long illustrious history of the Vienna State Ballet and Opera to be allowed backstage access. Wambaugh’s most difficult achievement in the Backstage Series is to surmount the myriad of technical problems. There is no posing, performers swirl around the photographer readying for the show, usually oblivious to her camera. Most of the time only low levels of light or rapidly changing light spill from the stage to provide illumination.

Flash is never allowed during performances or dress rehearsals. She refers to it as, “Sports photography without any light!” Like all pros, she uses state-of-the-art auto-focus equipment. Three generations of Canon cameras have been used in the making of Backstage.

Tokyo-based Canon Corporation is aware that Wambaugh has pushed the limits of what cameras and film can accomplish and have featured her portfolios several times in their international technical journal. In this unique documentary, both the figure and character of performers have been photographed in a close-up portrait style: in preparation and warm-up, the camaraderie, intense concentration and excitement in the hidden world of backstage. “I am drawn to this magical place in quest of images perfectly defining the tension, talent, discipline and beauty in its most fleeting moments. For many of my best images there was time for only one shot!” she has told interviewers.

In today’s violent world filled with ugly visions, it is almost impossible to find urban documentaries portraying the world as beautiful.

Some Museum Exhibitions of Backstage:

2003 Art Museum of South Texas, Corpus Christi
2002 Washington County Museum of Art, Maryland
2001 McNay Museum, San Antonio, Texas

Exhibitions:

2008 Retrospective: Photographs 1978-2008, CICCC, Beijing, CHINA

Magazine Articles:

2003, 04, 05 ~ Cover and many portfolios, Asian Photography Magazine (India)
2002 PHOTOgraphic Magazine, “Floating Portraits” also in 1998 “Career Profile”
2000 Rangefinder photo magazine a career profile
1998 Shutterbug Magazine “Women in Photography”

The Backstage Series is a limited edition (30) of quality prints

Honors:

2010 Marquis Who’s Who in American Art
2009 Visiting Professor, Osmania University, Hyderabad, INDIA
2004 Visiting Professor, Utkal Culture University, Bhubaneswar, INDIA