Thanks to Zirkus|Wissenschaft , a new traveling exhibit is available for loan to circus events such as festivals and conferences. Its called Exhibition Upside Down and it was designed at the ‘UpSideDown – Circus and Space’ Conference this past June in Germany at the University of Munster by a graphic recorder who was present at the lectures and logged the discussions that unfolded in visual and interesting ways, connecting information graphically and presenting it in an artistic format. By turning the core statements into words and pictures, the information is more approachable as conversation starters. One of the aims of the project was to break down the communication gap between the circus academic, the circus practitioner and the public–to open up a discourse where all three can contribute in meaningful ways.

Canadian researcher Louis Patrick Leroux explained the global need for such spaces, “A space for circus research must be a space for sharing knowledge and expertise between scholars and practitioners. It must be a space to enrich the discourse but also contribute to the practice”. This visual element of the project certainly creates a method for accessing that space. Eight pictures, printed on truck tarpaulin are ready to travel throughout the world to enrich your circus festival or conference by helping to create that space for discussion on circus arts.

Specifics from the Upside Down Dossier

Eight pictures, printed on truck tarpaulin are ready to travel throughout the world to enrich your circus festival or conference with a space for discussion on circus arts. The traveling exhibition can be used as a decoration for the site fences, surrounding your festival, raising the public’s interest. Fixed at the entrance or waiting area of your festival, it could also benefit as a doorway to the world of circus. Surrounding the professional area, it can contribute to initiate talks and discussions. Presented as an individual exhibition it invites the audience to enter into the discourses on circus arts.

Enriched by an exhibition catalogue, the public has the possibility to not only enjoy the colorful statements and pictures, but also to get deeper information on the discussions and talks related to the topic ‘Circus and Space‘. By multimedia means, it further offers the possibility to actually participate and contribute to the academic findings, by posting critical comments and thoughts via twitter #UpSideDownTraveling.

Let us raise the public’s awareness of circus as an important cultural good that enters more and more into international academia. Let’s turn our heads UpSideDown!

Technical data

8 panels, truck tarpaulin with eyelets, fit to be used as an open air exhibition size approx. 150 x 200 cm per panel weight approx. 1,5 kg per panel.

Costs

There is no loan fee, but we ask you to cover the costs for transportation.

Catalogue

The exhibition catalogue will be published in spring 2018.

Booking

The traveling exhibition can be booked via [email protected]

Feature photo courtesy of Franzi Kreis

Kim Campbell

Writer -USA

Kim Campbell has written about circus for CircusTalk.News, Spectacle magazine, Circus Now, Circus Promoters and was a resident for Circus Stories, Le Cirque Vu Par with En Piste in 2015 at the Montreal Completement Cirque Festival. They are the former editor of CircusTalk.News, American Circus Educators magazine, as well as a staff writer for the web publication Third Coast Review, where they write about circus, theatre, arts and culture. Kim is a member of the American Theater Critics Association.

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