4160 - Gert, Valeska

Gert, Valeska Photographer: Atelier Binder (active circa 1913–1938). The dancer and performance artist Valeska Gert (1892–1978). 1927. Vintage gelatin silver print. 18.4 x 13 cm. Atlantic agency label with a typed press release affixed to the reverse. The photograph depicts the pioneering German Expressionist dancer and cabaret artist Valeska Gert performing a provocative solo dance from around 1927, historically known as the “Negertanz.” Dressed in a form-fitting black costume, black shoes with white spats, and a black hat with white trim, Gert challenged traditional conventions of dance through exaggerated gestures, unconventional movements, and theatrical expression. Her radical and often satirical performances established her as one of the most distinctive figures of the Weimar Republic’s avant-garde theater and dance scene. – Corners bumped, a few light surface scuff marks, minimal edge wear; otherwise in very good condition.