Darling Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist
Simon Yates is a professional acrobat, performer and stuntman. He founded the international touring troupe ‘acrobat’ some twenty years ago, dedicating himself to the unfettered use of the body as a medium of expression, devoid of the spangle and colour we might otherwise associate with the notion of circus. Circus, commedia dell’arte and performance art collide in Simon’s extraordinarily physical performances. Over time, Simon's work in acrobat has evolved, but the spiritual identity remains distinctive – a dry, self-derisive and irreverent take on a centuries-old art form.