Art
Sawdust and Sequins: The Art of the Circus
- Artists
- Peter Blake, Eileen Cooper, Beth Carter, Simon Quadrat, Laura Knight, PJ Crook, Peter Lavery
To celebrate 250 years of circus, the RWA presents this major exhibition that pays homage to the greatest show on earth.
Sawdust and Sequins will feature historic and contemporary art, inspired by the magic, thrills and spills of the Big Top.
To launch the exhibition, the RWA will host a spectacular opening weekend (Sat 24-Sun 25 March) of live performances and workshops. Taking place in the open air and throughout the building, this two-day spectacular will celebrate the best of modern circus in Bristol.
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In collaboration with Circomedia, the building will be brought to life with clowning, acrobatics, aerial displays, have-a-go workshops and creative activities for all ages.
“Bristol has circus at its heart. The city once had six permanent circuses. Today, it is home to more circus companies than any other UK city and is a hub for ground-breaking, contemporary performance.
“Since it began in the 1700s, circus has become a worldwide phenomenon and a rich source of inspiration for artists. From historical depictions of familiar circus scenes to contemporary works exploring the glamour and grit, Sequins and Sawdust will survey the complex, compelling nature of circus and why it still captures our imaginations.”
Featuring works by Peter Blake CBE RWA (Hon), Eileen Cooper OBE RA (Trapeze, detail, pictured), Beth Carter, PJ Crook MBE RWA, Simon Quadrat PPRWA and Abigail Lane, as well as new commissions by artists Sadie Tierney, Katharine Jones and Susie Hamilton.
Plus historic works by Dame Laura Knight RA RWA, Edward Seago, Walter Sickert RA, David Bomberg, Duncan Grant RA RWA, Robert Colquhoun and Thérèse Lessore on loan from The British Council, Arts Council Collection, Government Art Collection, Royal Academy, Royal College of Art and Leeds Art Gallery amongst others.
An exhibition of Peter Lavery’s circus photography will accompany the exhibition. His intimate, tell-all portraits document the unseen reality of life in the circus from the 1970s to the present day.
Sawdust and Sequins is a flagship event for Circus250, a nationwide celebration of the 250th anniversary of circus. Celebrations will take place in the ‘Six Cities of Circus’: Bristol, Blackpool, Norwich and Great Yarmouth, Newcastle-under-Lyme, London and Belfast.
March 24-June 3. Exhibition open Tue-Sat 10am-5.30pm / Sun11am-5pm. Admission £6.95 including a 70p donation or £4.95 including a 50p donation.
For more info, visit www.rwa.org.uk/whats-on/sawdust-and-sequinsthe-art-circus
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