Manuel Vason Encounters

To celebrate the publication of Manuel Vason’s new book of the same name, Arnolfini presents Encounters, the first major UK exhibition of the artist’s work; a unique and provocative portfolio of photography. This new collection has emerged from a series of collaborations with artists working in performance; either a re-staging or unique performance for his camera. His vividly constructed images explore the physical body in its diversity, in the physical environment and the relationship between the live event and the captured image.

Featured artists include Ron Athey, Alistair MacLennan, Stuart Brisley, Traci Kelly and Richard Hancock, Paul Hurley and Veenus Vortex amongst others.

The exhibition opens at 6.00pm on Fri 8 June with a launch of the book and will be accompanied by a programme of performances by Manuel Vason’s collaborators and a symposium investigating the significance of Vason’s work in relation to live art and photography. Please note this exhibition contains nudity and graphic imagery.

PERSPECTIVE

Vason has become a key figure in the framing and conceptualising of Live Art. Through his own photographic work, he has highlighted key artists and practices that define a generation of live performers. His own interest in the physical relationship between the performer and viewer, and his emphasis on exploring the creative process align his own practices with those of the artists he shoots and have established Vason as an important artist in his own right.