Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys.
The motif of the circus in contemporary art
Kunstmuseum Thun
September 16 – December 3, 2023
Clown II (from: Facebook), 2008
Oil on cardboard, 21 x 15.5 cm
Kunstmuseum Bern, Collection Foundation GegenwART
Fulgenci Mesters Bertran – Weissclown Gensi, 2016
C-Print, 39.5 x 29.3 cm
Courtesy of the artist
Monkey with Lemon, 2009
Lambda-Print, 1–4, 60 x 40 cm
Courtesy of the artist
The Opposite of Me Is I, 2011
Jacquard tapestry
Silk, wool, cotton, acrylic and Lurex on Trevira CS warp
290 x 970 cm
Courtesy of the artist
The Opposite of Me Is I, 2011
Jacquard tapestry
Silk, wool, cotton, acrylic and Lurex on Trevira CS warp
290 x 970 cm
Courtesy of the artist
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Béranger
Kunstmuseum Thun presents works by international artists who use the motif of the circus. Against this backdrop, the group exhibition explores current social issues and questions political structures. With works by: Kathryn Andrews, Miriam Bäckström, Istvan Balogh, Beni Bischof, Barbara Breitenfellner, Mona Boschàr, Michael Dannenmann, Latifa Echakhch, Nicola Hicks, Taus Makhacheva, Dieter Meier, Yves Netzhammer, Tal R, Augustin Rebetez, Boris Rebetez, Ugo Rondinone, Niklaus Rüegg, Francisco Sierra, Norbert Tadeusz, William Wegmann.
The origin of the circus can be dated back to the end of the 18th century, although at that time it was still found in fixed buildings and mainly in London. In the 19th century, circuses were anchored as a mass phenomenon in European metropolitan life. They attracted numerous representatives of the fields of literature, fine arts, music and film. Thus, circus motifs influenced naturalistic painting, New Objectivity, the avant-garde, and Expressionism.
Regarde et je regarde aussi, 2001
Mixed media, 37 x 29 x 27 cm
Courtesy of the artist
Ring of fire, 2012
Video installation consisting of 1 wall drawing
(acrylic on wall), 1 object (metal) and 1 projection
(color, no sound, 11.42 min., Loop)
ca. 237 x 100 x 50 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zürich/Paris
Photo: Bernhard Strahm
Polar bear, 2007
Video installation consisting of 1 wall drawing
(acrylic on wall) and 1 projection (colour, no sound, loop),
ca. 250 x 230 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zürich/Paris
Das grosse Ei (Casino II), 1987
Oil on canvas, 300 x 550 cm
Norbert Tadeusz Estate
Photo: Hanna Neander
WVZ 231, 2012
Collage
Courtesy of the artist
Today, the place of sensual experiences and extremes may seem like a relic from a bygone era. And yet contemporary artists still make use of the repertoire of circus forms. For the circus offers an opportunity on both a micro and macro level to demonstrate current social conflicts, to expose stigmatization, to question power structures, or to illuminate the human-animal relationship. For example, the Zurich artist Istvan Balogh addresses the issue of overstimulation in today's society by showing the clown as a victim. A melancholy mood is evoked by clowns by New York-based artist Ugo Rondinone, whose shoes are literally hung on the nail. U.S. artist Kathryn Andrews leaves the clown costume behind as a melancholy veil, while in the video work by Russian artist Taus Makhacheva, a tightrope walker balances at a dizzying height.
A publication accompanying the exhibition will be published by HIRMER Verlag, Munich. With contributions by: Helen Hirsch, Alisa Klay, Sarah Elena Müller, Manfred Niekisch, Astrid Sedlmeier, Mandy Abou Shoak, Brigit Stammberger, Katrin Sperry.
Co-curated by Helen Hirsch and Katrin Sperry.
KUNSTMUSEUM THUN | THUN, SWITZERLAND
Thunerhof, Hofstettenstrasse 14, 3602 Thun
