I was already looking for a fitting topic to apply chiaroscuro before my Vienna-visit, having picked up a fascination for baroque and renaissance styles before - but not wanting to combine it with classic photographic portraiture with the intention of challenging myself and creating something different.

After publication of these photos in the press and social media, I was lucky enough to be found by professional dancer Alexander Hille. Seizing the moment, already with a solid idea of what I wanted to do, I asked if he was interested in a shoot - he said yes and asked if his husband could also be part of it.
”Yes!” I replied, excited about the prospect of getting to collaborate with two professional dancers and improving the existing idea.

Originally I was aiming to recreate known baroque or renaissance statues with only one dancer in either a baroque environment or surrounded with fitting props: David (the Goliath one), David (the famous one), Angel with Lance or Saint Veronica by Francesco Mochi.

Gender is not something I really care about so I went with whatever spoke to me in disregard of the characters’ sex depicted in the statues and could be replicated in a realistic way.

But now, with two dancers, I could suggest a more daring and, for me, exciting idea and favourite sculpture: The Rape Of Proserpina by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

As addition we shot with coloured gels as well to add some variation and a further contemporary touch.

Before wrapping it up, we decided to create a short video with a choreography fully improvised by Alexander and Pier: