Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Clear the ring: The motif of the circus in contemporary art.

The circus presents a deliberate staging of attractive illusions, hard struggle, success, and failure as part of human existence. This volume assembles works by international contemporary artists who use the motif of the circus to examine current social circumstances and to question cultural and political structures.

The circus originated in London towards the end of the 18th century and has long been a subject of fascination. Today, this place of sensuous experiences seems like a relic from the past. The circus is a cosmos which, with its entertaining and humorous as well as dark sides, provides the basis for an examination of art, cultural history, animal ethics, feminism, and racial criticism. It also serves to expose structures of cultural dominance, marginalisation, and political and historical filters.

Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys features artists such as Kathryn Andrews, Miriam Bäckström, Istvan Balogh, Beni Bischof, Mona Boschàr, Barbara Breitenfellner, Michael Dannenmann, Zilla Leutenegger, Dieter Meier, Yves Netzhammer, Tal R, Augustin Rebetez, Boris Rebetez, Ugo Rondinone, Niklaus Rüegg, Francisco Sierra, Norbert Tadeusz, William Wegman, et al.