Cylla von Tiedemann

Graceful dancer with flowing fabric in motion

Artist Summary

Cylla von Tiedemann is one of Canada’s most sought-after performance photographers. She has become renowned for her ability to capture points in movement.

Full Biography

Cylla von Tiedemann is one of Canada’s most sought-after performance photographers. She has become renowned for her ability to capture points in movement.

Cylla von Tiedemann is a performing arts photographer, educator and visual artist with an impressive and wide-ranging body of work. Renowned for her dance portraiture and live theatre photography, she is also involved with film, music and the visual arts.

Von Tiedemann’s photography ranges from portraits of dancers and performers, to production documentation for notable national and international organizations including the National Ballet of Canada, Stratford Festival, Mirvish Productions, Toronto Dance Theatre, Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Yo Yo Ma’s SILK Road Project among many others. Beyond conventional photography, Cylla has collaborated on numerous multi-media projects and her recent collections of work involve dancerfocused digital collage.

Von Tiedemann has lectured and presented workshops at Ryerson University, Sheridan College, La Concordia University and the Canadian Centre for Photography.

Her photographs have been recognized in magazines and through publication of a book, “The Dance Photographs of Cylla von Tiedemann” by the National Arts Centre. She has exhibited globally and her images form part of many private and corporate collections.

Solo Shows
2022 Toller Cranston: Metamorphosis, Donna Child Gallery
2014 What Dances in Between, JCC Gallery Toronto
2013 What Dances in Between, Al Green Gallery Toronto
2012 Tanz, German Consulate Toronto
2009 Dancing Wall, Silent Soul, Elaine Fleck Gallery, Toronto
2008 inVention, Elaine Fleck Gallery, Toronto
2005 9 (nine), Harthouse, University of Toronto
2004 Reach beyond your grasp, Pikto Gallery, Toronto
2003 Reach beyond your grasp, Galleria LaMama, New York
2001 Mother India, Harbourfront, Toronto
2000 Dance Installations, Dance Umbrella Toronto
1999 Sacred Spaces, Franke•von Oppen Gallerie, Berlin
1999 The Other Festival, Chennai, India
1998 Dance Images, Jane Corkin Gallery, Toronto
1996 Stones and Bodies, Alliance Francaise, Toronto
1996 Retrospective Bill Douglas Danse, Angora de la Danse, Montreal
1994 My Beautiful Europe, Upper Canada Brewery Gallery Toronto
1992 Canadian Embassy, Mexico City
1992 Solo Show, Lille, France
1991 Dance Photography, Jane Corkin Gallery, Toronto,
1991 Solo Show, Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg
1991 Montreal Danse, Biblioteque National Tangente,Montreal
1991 Dance in Nature, 21 McGill Gallery, Toronto
1990 Canvas-Camera, Roschar Gallery, Toronto
1990 Paris, New York, Canada, Harbourfront TPW,Toronto
1990 New Dance, National Art Center, Ottawa
1990 Sensuous Explorers, Harbourfront -TPW, Toronto
1988 Dance Photography, Harbourfront, Toronto
1987 Dance Photography, 21 McGill Gallery, Toronto
1985 Dance Ontario, Centre Pompidou, Paris
1983 Peggy McCann & Dancers, Harbourfront, Toronto

Group Shows
1989- 2005 Group Exhibitions
2005 Live With Culture, Eglinton Subway Station
2001 Dance Photography, Harbourfront, Toronto
1999 Group Show, Jane Corkin Gallery
1998 Miami Art Fair, Miami
1997 Dunlop Art Gallery, Regina,SK
1997 Paris Photo, Paris
1995 Figured in the Nude, Hiawatha Dance Festival, Quebec
1993 The Photography Show, New York
1992 Art Cologne, Germany
1992 Basel Art Fair, Switzerland
1992 Chicago International Art Exposition
1991 Landscape and Dance, Etobicoke Civic Center, Toronto
1991 Los Angeles Art Fair, California
1991 Niagara Falls Art Gallery, Niagara Falls
1991 A Show of Recent Works, Margaret Cameron Gallery, Ottawa
1990 Flowers, O’Keefe Centre, Toronto
1990 Clochards, Jane Corkin Gallery, Toronto
1989 Christmas Show, Toronto Photographers Workshop Toronto
1989 Dance, Roschar Gallery, Toronto
1989 Alternatives, O’Keefe Centre, Toronto

Visual Designs for Stage
Nov 2008 Gita Govindam – Menaka Thekkar Dance C. Trail, BC and Markham Theatre,
Feb 2008 Transmission of the Invisible – Tribal Crackling Wind, Peter Chin, Enwave Theatre Toronto
Feb 2007 John & Beatrice – Tarragon Theatre, Carole Frechette Leah Cherniac
Oct 2006 Past Perfect – Tarragon Theatre, Michael Tremblay, Leah Cherniac
Apr 2006 Purnima – Premier Dance Theatre InDance, Hari Krishnan
Feb 2005 Berdandan – Premier Dance Theatre Peter Chin, director
Apr 2004 Difference/Desire – Harbourfront Theatre Hari Krishnan, inDance
Sep 2002 The Miracle Worker – Loraine Kimsa Theatre Leah Cherniac, director
Jun 2002 Transylvanian Dances – Bravofact film, director Seiler String Chamber Orchestra
Mar 2002 Merlin – Lorraine Kimsa Theatre Pierre Tetrault. Director
Apr 2001 Revealed By Fire – Premier Dance Theatre followed by a world tour Lata Pada, choreographer
Mar 2001 Ghost Train – Young Peoples Theatre, Pierre Tetrault, director
Aug 2000 f’Light – Japan/Toronto Hideo Arrai and Peter Chin
Jun 2000 Inter-actions – Bomanville Highschool,Ontario
Aug 1996 A Song From Exile – Music gallery, Toronto, Rena Singha, choreographer
July 1995 Inferno – Site specific, Toronto, Bill James , choreographer
May 1994 The Golden Zone – L’Agora de la Danse, Montreal, Bill Douglas, choreographer
May 1992 Glass Orchestra – Music Gallery, Toronto
1991/92 Reaching Beyond – Mousounturm,Frankfurt/Germany, Premier Dance Theatre, Toronto, L’Angora De La Danse, Montreal

Artist’s Statement

In the mid 1980’s, at a time of great transformation in his life, Cylla stepped into the studio with Canadian Icon Toller Cranston. Toller thought it would be a project that would explore visual angles of the camera, however what Cylla captured of his incredible performance; the spirit and beauty Toller expressed with his body – resulted in a project that portrayed his moment of metamorphosis. This series of images is being exhibited for the first time.

“Toller was an incredible performer and I could not stop shooting him … I must have shot 15 rolls of film … bang, bang, bang. He’s truly a dancer. His spirit and his beauty is in his body. It’s in every muscle. He has such an understanding of presenting; of bringing that out and performing. He gave me a lot to work with.”

Cylla von Tiedemann

Smiling woman with short blonde hair and earrings.

Toller Cranston: A Metamorphosis – Photographs by Cylla Von Tiedemann

Person wrapped in flowing transparent fabric, arms raised. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Ten WM – original photograph – CVT0010

Person wrapped in translucent fabric against dark background. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller One WM – original photograph – CVT0001 – Large Format – only edition #3 remaining

Dancer wrapped in translucent fabric, expressive pose — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Nine WM – original photograph – CVT0009

Person wrapped in translucent plastic posing artistically. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Eight WM – original photograph – CVT0008

Person enveloped in flowing plastic, artistic photography — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Seven WM – original photograph – CVT0007

Dancer wrapped in flowing translucent material — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Six WM – original photograph – CVT0006

Person wrapped in translucent fabric, reaching upward. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Four WM – original photograph – CVT0004

Person in elegant gown, dramatic lighting, black and white — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Two WM – original photograph – CVT0002

Person wrapped in translucent plastic, monochrome photography. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Sixteen – original photograph – CVT0016

Woman resting amidst soft fabric and mist. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Fifteen WM – original photograph – CVT0015

Person wrapped in transparent fabric, monochrome photo — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Fourteen WM – original photograph – CVT0014

Black and white portrait with smoky background. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Thirteen – original photograph – CVT0013

Person posing with fabric and translucent material. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Twelve WM – original photograph – CVT0012

Artistic ballet dancer in flowing fabric, monochrome photograph. — Cylla von Tiedemann – Toller Eleven WM – original photograph – CVT0011

Edition Details and Pricing

All images are hand signed and numbered by the artist.

All sixteen images in the portfolio are available in 2 sizes – 12×18 and 30×40.

Small Format Prints (approx. 12”x18”) – edition size – 11
$950 unframed/ $1,100 framed

Large Format Prints (approx. 30”x40”) – edition size – 3
$1,900 unframed/ $2,500 framed

Please speak to a gallery representative if you are interested in purchasing a complete portfolio set of 16 images.

Person standing in art gallery with photographs. — CVTSMA_1454

People viewing photography exhibit in gallery hallway. — CVTSMA_1438

Group chatting at art gallery opening event. — CVTSMA_1433

People viewing art in a gallery exhibition. — CVTSMA_1430

Visitors enjoying a bright art gallery exhibition — CVTSMA_1423

Visitors exploring art gallery exhibition. — CVTSMA_1422

Press Release for Toller Cranston: A Metamorphosis

April 14, 2022

(Click Below)

PRESS RELEASE - April 14, 2022

PRESS RELEASE – April 14, 2022

Toller Cranston: Metamorphosis

The Artist as Subject, Muse, and Model

“Toller was an incredible performer and I could not stop shooting him.”

Cylla von Tiedemann, Photographer

Toronto, ON – Donna Child Fine Art Gallery, in conjunction with the Scotiabank 2022 CONTACT Photography Festival, is pleased to present Toller Cranston: Metamorphosis, a series of never-before exhibited photographs by Cylla von Tiedemann, one of Canada’s most sought-after performance photographers. The exhibition explores Toller Cranston (1949-2015)—artist, skater, visionary, genius—as the subject, the muse, and the model.

Exhibition Dates: May 3-31, 2022

Exhibition Opening: Saturday, May 7 from 4-7pm

Remarks at 5pm by:

Donna Child, Gallery Director
Cylla von Tiedemann, Photographer
Phillippa Cranston Baran, Special Guest

In the mid 1980’s, at the time of this photoshoot, Toller Cranston was already a Canadian icon. His innovative theatrical style had transformed men’s figure skating into a performance art form that revolutionized the sport and remains relevant today. With his paintings actively sought for public and private collections internationally, Toller had achieved extraordinary success—both athletic and artistic. He was at a pinnacle—preparing to embrace the destiny that would take him in new directions. It was a time of great transformation: a metamorphosis.

Photographer Cylla von Tiedemann, in the early days of her long and successful career, was already a great admirer of Toller. She had agreed to join him in the studio for a photoshoot that became an incredible performance. The spirit and beauty Toller expressed with his body portrayed his moment of metamorphosis.

“Toller was an incredible performer and I could not stop shooting him…I must have shot 15 rolls of film…bang, bang, bang. He’s truly a dancer. His spirit and his beauty are in his body. It’s in every muscle. He has such an understanding of presenting; of bringing that out and performing. He gave me a lot to work with.”

Cylla had arrived in Canada from Germany in the early eighties. As a photographer, she realized that it was the arts that attracted and engaged her—especially the Performing Arts: dance, theatre, and music. She is renowned worldwide for her dance portraiture and live theatre photography and she remains a respected visual designer for the stage.

Her photographs have been exhibited internationally and are part of prestigious private and corporate collections. She has collaborated with artists from Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, and the USA. She has worked with the leading dance and theatre companies in Canada including the National Ballet of Canada, the Stratford Festival, Mirvish Productions, Danny Grossman, and the Toronto Dance Theatre. She teaches photography and has presented creative workshops at multiple universities across Canada. A publication from the National Arts Centre called The Dance Photographs of Cylla von Tiedemann, recognizes her contribution to dance photography.

Over the years, she has been represented by the Jane Corkin Gallery, Elaine Fleck Gallery, and the Green Gallery, and she has now joined the Donna Child Fine Art Gallery.

The extraordinary images that comprise Toller Cranston: Metamorphosis, are being exhibited for the first time.

For further information or interviews:

Donna Child – donna@donnachildfineart.com or 416-620-0500

Phillippa Cranston Baran – phillippabaran@gmail.com or 343-540-5910

Exhibition Preview

https://donnachildfineart.com/artists/tiedemann-cylla-von/#toggle-id-2

10% of all exhibition sales will be donated to the Toller Cranston Memorial Fund through the Canadian Olympic Foundation