British-German fine art photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten has included a baton twirler-inspired scene in her new photographic series The Art of Hollywood, a project built around authentic hand-painted Hollywood backdrops once used in classic motion pictures.

The image, titled “Showgirl,” features a costumed performer posed in front of a vintage studio backdrop from Hollywood’s golden age. The scene blends visual elements associated with mid-century baton twirling, parade entertainment, and classic studio glamour.

Rather than creating new painted scenery, Fullerton-Batten photographed original Hollywood backdrops preserved from the pre-digital era of filmmaking. The large-scale scenic paintings were historically used in motion picture production before computer-generated imagery replaced many practical studio effects.

According to materials published with the project, Fullerton-Batten collaborated with collector and conservator Lynne Coakley, whose collection includes surviving cinematic backdrops from major studio productions. The series documents the aging painted sets while reimagining them through contemporary photography.

The twirler-themed image reflects how baton performers were once closely tied to American entertainment culture beyond formal competition. During the 1950s and 1960s, baton twirlers regularly appeared in film musicals, halftime productions, television variety shows, parades, and promotional photography.

In The Art of Hollywood, the twirler becomes part of a broader visual study of classic Americana. Other scenes in the series include vintage automobiles, suburban streets, swimming pools, and theatrical interiors staged against painted California skies and idealized landscapes.

Fullerton-Batten is known internationally for highly staged narrative photography that combines cinematic lighting, elaborate production design, and psychological themes. In this project, the visible seams and theatrical quality of the original backdrops remain intentionally exposed, emphasizing the handcrafted nature of old Hollywood filmmaking.

The series also highlights the disappearing art of scenic backdrop painting, once a major part of studio production design. Before digital compositing and green screens, film studios relied on large painted canvases to create environments and illusions for the camera.

By photographing the surviving backdrops in a modern context, Fullerton-Batten’s project documents both the history of Hollywood scenic art and the enduring visual power of performance traditions such as baton twirling.