Circus Museum unveils a huge mural
"The Greatest Show on Earth" by William Woodward.
By Susan Rife
from: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Thursday, January 17, 2013
For more than 20 years, a huge mural capturing the essence of circus life in the 1970s and '80s graced the lobby of Feld Entertainment, owners of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in Vienna, Va.
But only employees and visitors to the building saw the 22-by-42-foot mural, painted in 1989 by William Woodward.
Today, that changes with the unveiling of "The Greatest Show on Earth" in its new home — the entryway to the Tibbals Learning Center in the Circus Museum at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The mural goes on display to the public Jan. 19.
The mural depicts a number of famous circus personages, from animal trainer Gunther Gebel-Williams and clown Lou Jacobs to aerialist Dolly Jacobs and alligator wrestler Tahar Douis. Elephants, tigers, prancing horses and a unicorn share space with clowns, jugglers and trapeze artists.
There's even a self-portrait of the artist himself.
The mural took nearly two years to plan and execute, painted on 968 square feet of canvas. Its removal from Feld Entertainment's headquarters took more than 360 hours.
Moving the mural came about when Feld Entertainment sold its building in Vienna in order to relocate to Ellenton.
"The Greatest Show on Earth" by William Woodward.
By Susan Rife
from: Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Thursday, January 17, 2013
For more than 20 years, a huge mural capturing the essence of circus life in the 1970s and '80s graced the lobby of Feld Entertainment, owners of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, in Vienna, Va.
But only employees and visitors to the building saw the 22-by-42-foot mural, painted in 1989 by William Woodward.
Today, that changes with the unveiling of "The Greatest Show on Earth" in its new home — the entryway to the Tibbals Learning Center in the Circus Museum at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The mural goes on display to the public Jan. 19.
The mural depicts a number of famous circus personages, from animal trainer Gunther Gebel-Williams and clown Lou Jacobs to aerialist Dolly Jacobs and alligator wrestler Tahar Douis. Elephants, tigers, prancing horses and a unicorn share space with clowns, jugglers and trapeze artists.
There's even a self-portrait of the artist himself.
The mural took nearly two years to plan and execute, painted on 968 square feet of canvas. Its removal from Feld Entertainment's headquarters took more than 360 hours.
Moving the mural came about when Feld Entertainment sold its building in Vienna in order to relocate to Ellenton.
Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, in front of the mural when it was in Feld headquarters in Vienna, Va. COURTESY PHOTO
"I thought, we're going to have to take the thing down and get it restored," said Kenneth Feld. "I'm thinking, where would be a dramatic place for it? I figured we're down in the Sarasota area and to have a permanent home in the Sarasota museum would be the absolute best thing."
A huge blank wall in the Tibbals Center was the answer.
"When I walked into the Circus Museum, there was a white wall under a trapeze and I said, 'You know, this would be the perfect spot,'" said Feld, now a member of the Ringling Museum's board of directors, "I thought, wow, this would be a mind-blowing, larger than life experience when people are walking into the museum."
read more:
http://arts.heraldtribune.com/2013-01-17/section/circus-museum-unveils-a-huge-mural/
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