Twelve years ago I was an art student and my side job at the time was interpreting for tourists, but also for French dance and theatre companies that came on tour to my home town.
This painting shows the inner courtyard of the Vaganova Ballet Academy. The building is located in Rossi Street, the "perfect street" that you saw in a film directed by Cédric Klapisch. Once, a French family I was accompanying ordered a taxi to see this cinematic place. It was one of the ultimate goals of their trip!
And this painting was made on another occasion, when I was interpreting for a contemporary dance workshop, led by Pierre Rigal for the students of the Vaganova Academy, trained in the most academic, classical way one can imagine. I remember that their teachers were very surprised to see their students doing such improbable exercises.
During my lunch break, I asked permission to draw and was able to paint with tempera colours on paper this view of the inner courtyard through one of the windows of the mythical building. This cityscape is hidden from the eyes of passers-by and theatre-goers. It is all the more dear to me!
The ochre and pearl grey colouring is also quite characteristic for this part of St. Petersburg. The cloudy sky is reflected in the window glasses that stand out against the yellow walls, as if this old building had eyes.
