Big Top circus installation sets up at ISU galleries
By Dan Craft dcraft@pantagraph.com pantagraph.com
By Dan Craft dcraft@pantagraph.com pantagraph.com
Thursday, July 21, 2011
NORMAL -- It can require up to three rings to contain a circus.
But it's taking all four exhibition spaces in ISU's University Galleries to house the big-top summer show, "Magnificent Menagerie," on view through Aug. 7.
It's the first major circus-themed installation in the space since the summer 1992 show, "Palace of Wonder: Circus Collections in Illinois."
Where that exhibit was chiefly culled from vintage posters in Milner Library's internationally known Circus and Allied Arts Collection, the new show's scope has broadened.
The classic Milner poster art is still there, but so are numerous other elements, from historic artifacts to recently created works by area artists.
"We wanted to take another direction," says curator Tony Preston-Schreck. "The collaboration with Milner has been more in-depth, contributing to a broader conversation involving artifacts, films and more."
Alterations of the space include images painted on the walls, reflecting various periods of circus history here, from a traditional (pink) elephant to something completely current and B-N-specific --a yellow Chihuahua, referencing present-day Gamma Phi Circus performer Christian Stoinev and his performing Chihuahua, Scoobie, both of whom have received national recognition.
The goal, says Preston-Schreck, is to bring together selections from the Milner collection, recognition of Gamma Phi's contributions and a present-day evocation of circus-related art.
As visitors enter the University Galleries' main space, they'll encounter the "Magnificent Menagerie" head-on, including 21 posters, two vintage films documenting the Ringling Bros. Circus by noted B-N photographer Elizabeth Stein, artifacts like a 1919 circus throne and a video recording of Gamma Phi's April 16, 2011, performance.
Read more: http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/article_e64ba472-b321-11e0-b0be-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1SmkcoDc4
NORMAL -- It can require up to three rings to contain a circus.
But it's taking all four exhibition spaces in ISU's University Galleries to house the big-top summer show, "Magnificent Menagerie," on view through Aug. 7.
It's the first major circus-themed installation in the space since the summer 1992 show, "Palace of Wonder: Circus Collections in Illinois."
Where that exhibit was chiefly culled from vintage posters in Milner Library's internationally known Circus and Allied Arts Collection, the new show's scope has broadened.
The classic Milner poster art is still there, but so are numerous other elements, from historic artifacts to recently created works by area artists.
"We wanted to take another direction," says curator Tony Preston-Schreck. "The collaboration with Milner has been more in-depth, contributing to a broader conversation involving artifacts, films and more."
Alterations of the space include images painted on the walls, reflecting various periods of circus history here, from a traditional (pink) elephant to something completely current and B-N-specific --a yellow Chihuahua, referencing present-day Gamma Phi Circus performer Christian Stoinev and his performing Chihuahua, Scoobie, both of whom have received national recognition.
The goal, says Preston-Schreck, is to bring together selections from the Milner collection, recognition of Gamma Phi's contributions and a present-day evocation of circus-related art.
As visitors enter the University Galleries' main space, they'll encounter the "Magnificent Menagerie" head-on, including 21 posters, two vintage films documenting the Ringling Bros. Circus by noted B-N photographer Elizabeth Stein, artifacts like a 1919 circus throne and a video recording of Gamma Phi's April 16, 2011, performance.
Read more: http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/article_e64ba472-b321-11e0-b0be-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1SmkcoDc4
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