ABSTRACT
The performing artists who work outdoors try to make their work accessible, often with an element of comedy. They may simply want to make the drab, harsh streets a more beautiful and joyful place. Often their work is fantastical and, to a communicator or provocateur, might even seem escapist. As visual artists they see the outside world as an interesting setting for their work or even the inspiration of the work itself; they therefore frequently do work that is site-specific. Even if they tour a pre-rehearsed set-piece they try to leave it very flexible in order to be able to use the physical aspects of
each different location. This means they have a more rapid turnover of material than the communicators. As visual artists they are obviously concerned with the effects of lighting and so often develop a taste for pyrotechnics. They are not so concerned with drama, storytelling, or a direct relationship with the audience, so the sequence of the images is often worked out only after they have been developed.
