Press release 24/05/2018

Circus250: Art of the Show
9 June–14 October 2018
Admission free
Curator: Joanne Drum

Throughout 2018, in Ireland and the UK, the Circus250 programme celebrates the 250th anniversary of the original circus, established by Philip Astley (1742–1814) in London in 1768. Circus250: Art of the Show is an exhibition of works drawn from the Gallery’s own collection, by Irish artists who depicted the circus, including Mainie Jellett (1897–1944), Martin Gale RHA (b.1949), Harry Kernoff (1900–1974), and Jack B. Yeats (1871–1957). Circus posters and programmes from the archives will enhance the display. 

This exhibition, with its horseback acts, clowning and aerial feats, will showcase four colourful oil paintings by Jack B. Yeats: The Last Dawn But One, That Grand Conversation was under the Rose, A Cavalier’s Farewell to his Steed, and The Double Jockey Act. The exhibition also will also include Mainie Jellett's Under the Big Top at a Circus, Mary Swanzy's (1882–1978) Clown by Candlelight and Harry Kernoff's Circus Ring. A contemporary work by Martin Gale RHA, with printmaker Robert Russell (b.1960), Arrival, shows a modern-day circus tent. The exhibition will also include rarely-seen work from the collection, such as the tiny Two Pantomime Clowns Mocking Each Other by George Joseph Huband, from 1822. Mainie Jellett’s work process will be revealed in three versions of the same scene: a pencil sketch, a watercolour sketch and a finished watercolour painting. 

Circus250: Art of the Show will include five oil paintings as well as seven works on paper which range from graphite and aquatint to etching and drypoint. There are also four original circus posters and two programmes from the Gallery’s Yeats Archive. The programmes for Duffy’s Circus, Chadwick's Circus, John Scott’s Circus and Sanger and Sons promote long-forgotten feature acts such as the Risley Acrobats, The Jaspers, and Phineas & Aida, who were supported by troupes of performing ponies, chariot races, and ‘Funny Clowns’. Also on display will be Barnum & Bailey’s programme from an 1899 tour of Britain, and a Duffy’s circus ‘Programme and Songbook’. The works in the exhibition span two centuries, from the 1800s to the present day. 

Exhibition curator Joanne Drum said: 'This small, in-focus show packs a punch, transporting visitors to the enthralling world of the circus. In the works by Yeats and Kernoff, who sat in the crowd to sketch, the excitement of the crowd is palpable, and we can imagine ourselves as part of the action too. The poignant clown in Swanzy’s painting tugs at the heartstrings. Four antique promotional posters from early circuses show how they competed to draw visitors to their attractions. To bring the fun and spectacle of the Big Top to the exhibition, we have organised circus-themed performances and workshops which will bring the circus where you don’t expect to see it: at the National Gallery of Ireland'.

Public events will include performances, film screenings, workshops and a residency by graphic designer and illustrator Steve Simpson. A free brochure to complement the exhibition will be available in the Gallery. 
 

About Circus250 and Philip Astley’s time in Dublin

Circus250 is a celebration, in Ireland and the UK, of the 250th anniversary of the original circus, established by Philip Astley in London in 1768. Astley, widely regarded as the father of the modern-day circus, was originally a trick rider who expanded his riding shows to include acrobatic and comedy performances. Dublin was the first city outside England to which he travelled, performing with his troupe from 1773. In December 1773 he opened his riding school on Inns Quay, Dublin, giving hugely popular performances and riding lessons, and even appearing at Capel Street theatre. In 1798 he opened his Royal Amphitheatre on Peter Street, near Christchurch, where he was granted a monopoly on circus performances for the following seven years. Although Astley’s circus predates the works in Circus250: Art of the Show, his legacy is clear to see. Commenting, Joanne Drum, curator of the exhibition said: 'All circuses which followed Astley’s were in some way inspired by his. His performances form the basis of the definition of circuses: events featuring equestrian acts, acrobatics and clowns'.