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Circus Photography Exhibition through Jan 23
Posted December 26, 2008
Note: This free exhibit includes photos from several
turn-of-the-(last) century circus and Wild West shows. Descriptive
text is from the UBS Art Gallery website.
HEYDAY: Frederick W. Glasier's American Circus, 1890-1925
Organized by the Eakins Press Foundation
On view at The UBS Art Gallery, November 13, 2008 – January 23, 2009
Show Description
A new exhibition at The UBS Art Gallery (1285 Avenue of the Americas,
New York City) will offer a glimpse into the most dynamic period of
the American circus through the rarely seen photographs of Frederick
W. Glasier (1866-1950). Drawn from the collections of the John and
Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida and organized by the
Eakins Press Foundation, HEYDAY: Frederick W. Glasier's American
Circus, 1890-1925 will be on view from November 13, 2008 to January
23, 2009. Co-curated by Peter Kayafas and Deborah Walk, the exhibition
will feature more than 60 photographs and approximately a dozen
lithographic posters that depict the circus coming to town,
performances of spectacular feats, and the behind-the-scenes life of
circus members.
At the turn of the 20th century in America, the circus was an
unmatched social spectacle. Large circus companies were like mobile
cities, requiring an enormous staff to install and break down
operations every few days. At their peak, circus companies toured more
than 150 cities and towns each year, playing to more than two million
people over a seven month season. HEYDAYwill highlight the
rediscovered work of Frederick W. Glasier, who photographed the circus
and served as the official photographer for the Barnum & Bailey Circus
on-and-off for three decades. Glasier's unrestricted access to both
grand performances and backstage life allowed him to explore the
public and private personalities of some of the greatest entertainers
of the era.
HEYDAY: Frederick W. Glasier's American Circus, 1890-1925 is made
possible by UBS.
Exhibition Highlights
HEYDAY is arranged to chronologically illustrate the event of the
circus coming to town. Lithographic promotional posters would vividly
announce upcoming performances, with hyperbolic claims about the
spectacular events soon to unfold. Examples of these posters are
juxtaposed with Glasier's photographs that document the arrival of the
circus, from the excitement of parades that take over small towns, to
the set-up of the massive big top tent, which could hold more than
12,000 people.
Highlights on view include photographs of circus performers captured
in the midst of their acts, such as the Deike Sisters, a gymnastic
family with the Barnum & Bailey circus. The exhibition features both a
photograph (c. 1910) and a 1909 promotional poster that illustrate the
Deike Sisters' "contortional cleverness and muscular control in
artistic bending." Glasier also captured a split-second moment in a
trapeze aerial act by the Flying Banvards in the photograph Maude
Banvard, The Catch, Brockton Fair (1907).
Glasier's great strength was as a portraitist, and his photographs
reveal an intimate connection with the circus and sideshow performers.
A 1914 portrait of Chief Iron Tail, a star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West
Show, captured the strength and dignity of the last survivor of the
Battles of Little Big Horn and Wounded Knee. His photograph of
Mademoiselle Octavia (c. 1901), known as the "Yankee Snake Charmer,"
has a sensual aspect as snakes writhe over Octavia's form-fitting,
sleeveless outfit. Charmion, Strong Woman (1904) is a bold image of a
partially disrobed circus star whose muscular poses challenge ideas of
feminine beauty and physical strength. Pete Mardo (1923) is a portrait
of Peter Guckeyson, who ran away from home and joined the circus to
become a traditional white-faced clown under the name Pete
Mardo.
Where:
The UBS Art Gallery is located in the UBS Building at 1285 Avenue of
the Americas (between 51st and 52nd Streets) in New York City. The
Gallery is on the ground floor of the building.
When:
Through January 23, 2009
Exhibition hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.
Tickets:
Admission is free.
More Info:
For recorded exhibition information: (212) 713-2885
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