Sculpture of The Royal Ballet
Michael Talbot collaborated with The Royal Ballet in 2014-2016 on the creation of the ‘Ballet Collection’ – a series of sculptures inspired by dance and the dancers of the Company. The first piece in the series, a portrait of Principal dancer, Edward Watson in rehearsal; Callisto, a tribute to the wonderfully talented Jeanetta Laurence, the former Associate Director of the Royal Ballet; Juliet, inspired by the character in the classic MacMillan-choreographed ballet, and Reborn, a sculpture based on Principal dancer Lauren Cuthbertson.
“This project is a dialogue between sculpture and dance that allows me to work with artists of the highest calibre from The Royal Ballet.” Michael Talbot
Talbot is a perfectionist and his figurative artwork is renowned for its exquisite detail and anatomical precision. This accuracy and attention to detail is an important factor in the Royal Ballet series, where each piece is carefully crafted to ensure that the poise and posture of the dancer is captured as precisely as possible. To achieve this, Talbot worked closely with the dancers at the Royal Opera House, home to The Royal Ballet. During this creation phase the clay sculpture was carefully scrutinised by the expert and experienced eyes of the Royal Ballet directors and Talbot would often make minute adjustments to ensure the highest degree of integrity in the final study.