THE BODY IS (NOT) HERE - Exhibition of Franko B's Archive, University of Bristol

14th February - 1st May 2020;
Tues - Fri 9.30am - 5pm (closed 10th and 14th April)

The Body is (not) Here explores the archive of visual artist, curator and teacher Franko B through representations of the human body, which loom large throughout the collection.

Coming to recognition during the rise of performance and live art in the 1990s, Franko’s deeply autobiographical work presents the body as both a site and a material. His body is visible throughout the exhibition via documentation of performances and exhibitions, captured in personal photographs, described in vivid detail within publicity material and press cuttings, or hinted at by its absence through objects, traces and the residue of performances.

Interweaving personal stories and universal themes – of pain, suffering, protest, life and love – The Body is (not) Here provides audiences with multiple encounters with Franko’s body and the body of his archive, which like Franko’s work, challenge the way we see, feel and experience the world around us; asking us to consider ‘what it is to be human’.

The exhibition is accompanied by a programme of free public events, including an 'in conversation' with the artist, a symposium on 'challenging' archives, a writing workshop, and a series of exhibition tours.

More information here: bristol.ac.uk/theatre-collection/events/exhibitions/