Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys. The Circus Motif in Contemporary Art

The first circus was founded in London at the end of the 18th century, and over the next century this form of entertainment would become a mass phenomenon in European urban life, exerting an enduring fascination. Today, the circus as a venue for sensual experiences and sensational extremes seems a relic of a bygone era. But its symbolic power remains intact. Its inquisitive exploration of the enduring nature of humanity and its deliberate staging of beautiful illusions alongside harsh struggles, of success and failure as integral parts of human existence, may, in fact, tell us much about today's reality. The thematic exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Thun brings together works by contemporary artists who draw their inspiration from circus motifs. By evoking their formal vocabulary and emotionality, they demonstrate how the circus, with its unique repertoire, offers a model for questioning our own current social conditions, a way of laying bare cultural power structures and marginalization, as well as political and historical filters.


Artists: Kathryn Andrews, Miriam Bäckström, Istvan Balogh, Beni Bischof, Barbara Breitenfellner, Mona Broschár, Michael Dannenmann, Latifa Echakhch, Nicola Hicks, Zilla Leutenegger, Taus Makhacheva, Dieter Meier, Yves Netzhammer, Tal R, Augustin Rebetez & Martin Zimmermann, Boris Rebetez, Ugo Rondinone, Niklaus Rüegg, Francisco Sierra, Norbert Tadeusz, William Wegman.

Performative contribution: Christian D. Link & Stephanie Hess

Co-curated by Helen Hirsch and Katrin Sperry

More Info: HERE