Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys: The Motif of the Circus in Contemporary Art

Works that use the circus to question cultural and political structures.

Originating in London towards the end of the eighteenth century, the circus has long been a subject of fascination. Though today this spectacle can seem like a relic from the past, the entertainment, humor, and exploitation of the circus provide a basis to examine art, cultural history, animal rights, feminism, and racism. The illusions, struggles, successes, and failures staged at the circus can expose cultural domin...