The title is synonymous with Stravinsky’s famous ballet, whose jarring rhythms and narrative of a pagan ritual in which a girl dances herself to death caused, arguably, the most famous riot in the history of classical music. But while Dalton Louis‘ face-painted, dancing model could easily be interpreted as the maiden from Stravinsky’s ballet the photographer’s inspirations were not quite so dire. Model Alexandra isn’t being sacrificed entirely as an offering to spring, rather she’s an incarnation of Persephone, sacrificing three months a year in the underworld before emerging, bringing spring’s passage with her.
The styling by Tosin Ojo reflects the seasonal transition of fallen leaves disappearing under the sprouting green stems and flowers of spring. The full waved hair – styled by Guslene Bubak – is Rossetti-esque, a Pre-Raphaelite’s vision of the Greek Myth.
Against the icy backdrop, the spring colours of Dalton Louis’ Persephone stand out even more. You can view the full shoot by Dalton Lewis, Le Sacre du Printemps, at the gallery above.
