Briana Blasko

Briana Blasko is an American portrait photographer and artist. She has photographed celebrated dancers in the U.S. and India. Venturing extensively to reveal and evidence the treasures of her subjects, India has captivated her focus since 2003 and inspired the publication of two books: Dance of the Weave, Penguin Books India, and Within Without: The Path of the Yogi, HarperCollins India (2017).

Early life and education Born and raised in San Francisco, from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She began her career as an intern for photographer Annie Leibovitz, where she worked for three years as a research and production assistant on Women, Leibovitz's book with Susan Sontag.

Career Based in New York at the beginning of her career, she spent twelve years photographing contemporary dance

In 2008, she began to pursue work for her book Dance of the Weave, a 208 page compilation which spans five years of shooting in India. Kathak, Mohiniyattam, and Sattriya, as well as martial arts forms Chhau, Kalaripayattu, and Pung Cholom. In the forward to the book, fashion designer Donna Karan writes, "The loveliness of her images in the book you are holding resides in their ability to share the restless conversation between body and fabric."

"If you belong to a culture where the sensual pleasure of adjusting long yards of cloth to the contours of your own body are lost to you, perhaps you may revel in this other world. If you live on this side of the planet where these are simple everyday necessities, then you may delight in those photographs that go beyond the brief as it were."

Nest, a well respected non-profit working for the social and economic advancement of global artisans, partnered with her to showcase the master craftspeople behind India's textile traditions, to counter the trend of dissolving interest in traditional practices due to increased mechanization. Says Blasko, "By highlighting the drapes that are used in dance, I try to show how even a single piece of cloth can hold a sacred position in India." Says Blasko, "While I was with these gurus, some of their practices were so intimate, so precious, that I decided not to take out my camera and risk becoming obtrusive. In photography, if you don't take a picture it's as if the event did not happen, but there seems to be a part of me that believes that sometimes not taking a picture is just as valuable."

Blasko deliberately chose not to arrange the subjects by religious faith. Says Blasko, "During the time I spent with yogis of different spiritual persuasions, I realised that there is an innate sameness in their practices that transcends the confines of religion."