About
PETER JACOBS is an experienced performer, model and (less-experienced) artist exploring opportunities within performance and installation art and performance making.
Peter started volunteering for public participation art events in 2009 and has progressively sought out more complex and involving projects. In 2010 he took part in a photographic installation by American photographer Spencer Tunick, which led to an interest in nude performance. After taking his clothes off for art for the first time Peter became one of a large group of dedicated 'amateur' performers experienced in participating in naked art projects. But Peter has continued to work within a wide range of different types of performance including photographic, situational and gallery installations, art and theatrical performances in the UK and Europe.
In 2014 Peter started to devise his own concepts, developing his own practice as a performer and artist. His interests lie in exploring ideas of ordinariness and the unthinking choreography of unconsidered everyday life. He is also interested in dystopian worlds, censorship, ageing, masculinity and male sexual identity.
Peter's first work as an artist KINDLING was commissioned for Emergency: A free day out for the curious, presented by Word of Warning, STUN + Z-arts, and was performed on Saturday, 4 October 2014 in Manchester. His second work BIBLIOCLASM was performed at Guerrilla Galleries' FORBIDDEN exhibition at The Daniel Libeskind Space, Islington, London 6-8 January 2015. GONE MAD was created for and performed at Haphazard 2015: A free day out for the curious of all ages, presented by Word of Warning, STUN + Z-arts, and was performed on Saturday, 28 February 2015 in Manchester. Peter's fourth work LOST | FOUND was presented at FORENSIC 2015, part of DERELICT at UCLan in Preston on Saturday, 25 April 2015. NO MAN IS AN ISLAND was created for Emergency 2016 (as above) and performed at Z-arts on Saturday, 1 October 2016. AT NIGHT I LOCK THE DOORS - a silent disco for seven men listening to their own soundtrack - was created for Emergency 2017 and performed at Z-arts on Saturday, 30 September 2017. AMASS - a one-hour movement-based performance for eight men - was created for Emergency 2018 and performed twice at Z-Arts on Saturday, 6 October 2018. Peter's first solo performance Hypertension (I'm over here, why can't you see me) was performed in three twenty-minute sets at Emergency 2018 on Saturday, 21 September 2019.
In 2015 Peter appeared as a member of the 'community chorus' in a production of The Oresteia, directed by Blanche McIntyre at HOME, Manchester, 23 October-14 November 2015. A long and incremental rehearsal period starting in June 2015 and ending with the three-week theatrical run forced an involuntary hiatus on Peter's own original work. 2016 saw a slow regaining of momentum and the creation of new work. In 2017 Peter returned to the stage as a member of the 'community chorus' in the Actors Touring Company production of The Suppliant Women, directed by Ramin Gray at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 10 March-1 April 2017, this time in a singing role. Obviously now stage-struck, Peter then signed up as a member of the Chorus of Others as part of the Manchester International Festival, Frantic Assembly, the Royal Exchange Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith and LIFT co-production Fatherland by Scott Graham for Frantic Assembly, Karl Hyde (Underworld) with Matthew Herbert, and playwright Simon Stephens, choreographed by Eddie Kay, at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, 1-22 July 2017.
Peter's experiences of public participation art and more complex group performance art led him in 2013 to create the Natural State Performance Network, a Facebook group for 'ordinary' people interested - and often experienced - in taking part in public participation art events and working with artists using people and performance as part of their practice - and to help artists looking for non-professional performers to find them.
In 2017 Peter created the Manchester Community Chorus Network (Vox Populi), a Facebook group for people interested or experienced in taking part in community chorus events and the theatres and performance makers looking for them.
Peter has previously featured in performances for many artists including: Ron Athey, Dominique Baron-Bonarjee, Adam James, Completely Naked, Jeremy Deller, Interdigitate Dance Theatre, JocJonJosch, Hannah Nicklin, Naomi Kashiwagi, Daniel Knorr, Clifford Owens, Ranulph Redlin, Roshana Rubin-Mayhew and Adam Wilson Holmes.
Peter also reviews classical and contemporary dance, physical theatre and other forms of performance for The Reviews Hub (formerly The Public Reviews).