09/12/2025
PASSÉ: Aerial Minimalism Meets Classical Ballet in Brad Walls’ Most Ambitious Work
presents PASSÉ, an immersive new exhibition set within a monochromatic red environment in New York City, reimagining ballet from an aerial perspective. Known for his minimalist aerial photography and internationally published series, Walls invites viewers not just to observe, but to step inside the frame—onto the red carpet where the art was made, and into the lives and stories of the dancers themselves.
PASSÉ marks Walls’ celebrated exploration of movement, stillness, and symmetry. Visitors enter through The Red Room, walking a full-length red carpet originally used during the shoot itself. Life-sized photographic prints line the space at eye level, placing viewers face-to-face with the dancers in intimate, arresting detail. Every element is designed to blur the line between image and reality, performance and memory.
Three years in the making, PASSÉ is Walls’ most ambitious project to date. It features one of the largest choreographed ballet photoshoots ever attempted, involving 60 dancers, a 10-person crew, and a single 8-hour session of continuous shooting. A massive football field–sized red carpet was laid across the warehouse floor. Above it, an equally large light bounce was suspended to create even, diffused lighting throughout the space. A custom crane rig stabilized the camera to capture precisely choreographed scenes from directly above. More than 20 compositions were meticulously storyboarded; 8 were successfully brought to life.
PASSÉ is both a cinematic sendoff and a tribute to the emotional power of ballet. By flipping the traditional vantage point and placing the viewer at the center of the experience, Walls invites the audience not just to witness the art, but to become part of it.
PASSÉ will be available through a limited-time release through September 14 at 11:59 PM.
Exhibition details:
September 12 - 14, 2025
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
347 Broome Street
New York, NY
