Sheehan captures a suspended ballet, each of the four individuals flying above the ground in a grand jeté. This triptych-like scene is framed by colossal granite caryatids, the Atlantes, sculpted by Alexander Terebeniev to support the portico of this once-main entrance of the State Hermitage Museum. The statues serve as a parallel of enormous strength to the suspended dancers, though juxtaposed in size, ever more evident by the monochrome nature of the photograph. The motionless architecture is brought alive by the mise-en-scène of this moving performance.
~ Gabrielle Discafani, Student at Rutgers University, Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage and Preservation Studies, Center for Art Law Spring 2021 Graduate Intern.