This weekend marks the 130th anniversary of the Capital Circus of Budapest. The milestone will be celebrated with a new book series and an exhibition.
Circus Artists, Prodigies (Cirkuszi csodaemberek), a book comprising of interviews with some of the most talented artists working at the circus, was launched on Thursday, at the same time as the opening of the exhibition, There’s no other! (Nincs mááásik!).
“To build a future, we must look back at the past,” said Péter Fekete, the Secretary of State for Culture working at the Ministry of Human Capacities.
The book series and the exhibition put into the spotlight the legendary figures of the circus industry. Edited by Fekete and dramaturge Levente Pál Dániel, the book takes readers behind the scenes, offering a rare glimpse into the intricate, mysterious everyday life of circus artists. Chronicling tales of unparalleled success and gut-wrenching failure, the volume entails universally-relatable parables about hard work, grit, and the power of creativity.
These are the overarching motifs explored by the exhibition as well. Charting the developments the circus industry underwent over the past 130 years, the show invites viewers to explore the role technological developments, new inventions and theatrical devices played in the evolution of circus shows.
Photo credit: Hírstart