Private Acts is a book containing impressively athletic photographs by Acey Harper. Each image exposes the art of the acrobat, where nerve, muscle, and fierce concentration conspire to defy mortal limits.
Locations include the forests and beaches of the Marin Headlands, the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, a railroad trestle in Vermont, the streets of San Francisco, and also the New York subway.
“I realized that I needed to find a new way to photograph these acrobats,” Harper said. “I really discovered how I wanted to express myself visually. As a journalist, I shot what was there. With this work, I could imagine things and make them happen. I feel like I really began to see.”
Harriet Heyman contributes to the book by the inclusion of three captivating, first-person essays. Being well-trained herself in aerial arts she closely describes the education of the acrobat. Combined with her personal insights, these evocative images succeed in delivering a dynamic and beautiful experience.
Private Acts by Acey Harper and Harriet Heyman
ISBN: 978-0-8478-3673-4
Casebound with Jacket
224 pages
http://aceyharper.com/Private_Acts/index.html
All images © Acey Harper