Essay by Anna Stothart

Published on the occasion of the exhibition ‘La Grande Sortie’ at Lehmann Maupin, New York, this hardcover velvet catalogue includes a fold-out insert, an essay by Anna Stothart, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the series. In this body of work, the viewer is confronted with the dual perspectives of performer and audience and asked to consider the underlying tension inherent in this relationship. The photography series featured Prager’s film, La Grande Sortie, in its US premiere, along with a new series of photographs shot on location during the film’s production in Paris. Shot in the renowned Ópera Bastille and commissioned by the Paris Opera Ballet, Prager tells the story of a prima ballerina, played by French Étoile (star) dancer Émilie Cozette and her return to the stage after an unexplained hiatus.