Artwork of a dancer

This is an artwork of a dancer leaping through a frame and breaking out of the surrounding graphical elements. This kinetic image abandons the tradition of carefully posed limbs and deliberately arranged hair. Figurative artists have long portrayed the unpredictable nature of human movement. Dance, in particular, has been a favorite motif.

Noteworthy to the meaning of this artwork is the lack of additional dancers or a partner. An individual dancer is distinct from either a dancing pair or a troupe of dancers moving in coordination. The individual expresses independence and spontaneity. She is not part of a group or following the lead of another, nor does she lead.

This dancer is a dynamo of posing energy. Here, she is captured mid-dance, leaping in the air in front of a bank of ice-blue glass blocks that glow with the brilliant light of the outdoors. Her body language screams of strength and her vibrant spirit. The warm golden tones of her nude figure contrast with the turquoise grid behind her.

Artwork composition

The color palette is restrained to just a few hues. Although the colors are believable, they deviate from reality and are applied deliberately across areas of the image. The artwork consists of two planes: that of the dancer and the nearby backdrop. This compositional factor simplifies the visual presentation.

Dance inspiration

This image depicts the dancer in front of a glass block window in an old warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina (US). This space was a painting studio and had ample space and natural light, both of which were conducive to creativity.

Artworks of dancers

Twentieth-century artists like Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse influenced Knight in his approach to a dancer as a subject. Artworks of dancers provide a vehicle for displaying athleticism, strength, and independence. Dance can be a metaphor for all forms of self-expression and freedom.