Anna Pávlova – A magical exhibition without borders 📷 Malaga – Spain

I am privileged to attend many exhibitions and I love doing so; it has even become a way of life and one of my favourite pastimes. But when I am fortunate enough to see something like what is on display at this renowned museum, the Russian Museum in the city, there are simply no words.

It had been a long time since I had visited this museum to see a major exhibition, perhaps because it is not close to where I live, but a few days ago I was able to visit it as part of a scheduled tour, and although I only had a quick look around the facilities, I noticed an exhibition that interested me greatly, so I returned to the venue.

This exhibition focuses on Anna Pavlova, and honestly, it is a wonderful tour that was worth every step I took. And the best part is that throughout the tour, even if you don't know anything about the exhibition or the person being featured, there are explanations on the walls and qualified staff who are also museum security and who can and do explain any detail of the exhibition that you ask about.

Anna Pavlova has been and continues to be a leading figure in ballet, bringing this art form to the whole world, and this exhibition on her art and work pays tribute to an exemplary figure in her field. I see the art of ballet as something sublime, elegant and overflowing with beauty. It reminds me a lot of when I wanted to be a ballet dancer as a child. In fact, my schoolmates asked me if I was one, as I already looked like one.

mother always told me that it was a very demanding life and that she would not want that for me, but I always liked classical music and watching the dancers in the famous Swan Lake. This exhibition brought back those childhood memories.

The theme chosen for the exhibition was Anna Pavlova, a life without borders, and I really learned a lot about the life of this great woman and dancer, her travels around the world and everything she has done for ballet.

I loved the setting of the rooms that corresponded to the exhibition, especially the contrast between red, black and white, which created a special style.

In the first part of the tour, I learned about her visit to Spain, specifically Madrid and Barcelona, and the number of performances she gave just before she died of pneumonia in 1931. It also details her performances in the country and the works she performed, such as The Doll Fairy, in which she was an enchanted fairy and adopted certain Spanish customs and styles, such as castanets.

In every country she visited, she tried to adopt something from it, such as castanets and Manila shawls here. She adapted to the circumstances and styles of each place, which made her works very special. In the case of Spain, she fused two techniques, classical Spanish and traditional ballet. This made the Spanish public adore her and left her mark on this land.

The second part of the tour talks a little about Anna's history, and how here, in this exhibition about her work, she is honoured through a huge number of photographs and documents that show her life devoted to ballet and touring around the world, beyond Europe and North America.

Her most important role, as mentioned in the tour, was The Dying Swan, her emblematic piece and work of profound emotion. A woman who was a treasure for the whole world, who transcended borders, had her own company and visited more than forty countries over more than 20 years. A life dedicated to what she loved most, even though it meant a life that was not peaceful. She wanted to take ballet to every corner of the world she could reach, which is incredible.

All these photographs you see here, plus the documentation, have come from many parts of the world to form a spectacular collection about Anna Pavlova to pay her this great and well-deserved tribute.

In the same room, there was a huge number of photographs showing the deep connection between ballet and fashion, and how Anna was always attentive to the styles of each country and fashion in general, in addition to having her own personal style.

She historically transformed traditional ballet costumes into tutus decorated with flowers and stones to enhance feminine beauty and the view of women's legs. She incorporated many elements typical of the era and each country she visited, as well as adapting them to each work and performance.

There is a section dedicated to the dancer's tours, highlighting different European cities as well as the United States. Then, starting in 1920, she began performing in various places in Latin America and later in Asia and Oceania, always adapting the performances to the customs of each country.

The next room displayed videos and many photographs related to Anna's relationship with cinema and, above all, her friendship with Charles Chaplin, both of whom achieved international fame in their respective arts. There was mutual admiration for each other's work, and Chaplin often attended her performances.

Anna Pavlova made a single appearance in silent cinema, in The Mute Girl of Portici. I didn't know that she had acted, and the further I progressed through the exhibition, the more I learned about her and the more brilliant the exhibition seemed to me.

There is a special section in the exhibition dedicated to The Dying Swan, which was the artist's most emblematic work, the best known and most moving. An entire section is dedicated to explaining the number of performances she gave of this work and how it has travelled around the world. The history of the work is also explained, how it came about and all its details. It is a great poem, an emotional one that touches the heart, and Anna took it to all corners of the world with her ballet, making it an inspiration for the future.

It has truly been a sublime journey, a magnificent, high-quality exhibition that I had the privilege of visiting and admiring, reading each of those writings, learning practically everything about Anna and being able to bring it here. That makes me very happy.

Thank you all very much for joining me today. I send you my warmest regards. See you soon.
Amonet.