Marc Chagall: The Circus

‘For me a circus is a magic show that appears and disappears like a world. A circus is disturbing. It is profound.’ Le Cirque, Marc Chagall

Throughout his prolific career, Marc Chagall (1887 – 1985) returned time and again to the vivid imagery of acrobats, clowns and fantastical performers, transforming the circus into a metaphor for the complexities, joys and sorrows of the human experience. Marc Chagall: The Circus will present Chagall’s celebrated lithographs on this subject, alongside paintings and archival material, both providing an introduction to Chagall’s work and life, and exploring his unique vision and symbology.

The theme of the circus appeared in Chagall’s work as early as the 1910s, reflecting his experiences with traveling circuses during his youth in Russia. As with much of his later work, these memories and, on the surface, joyful imagery, are merged with nostalgia and a sense of loss. Imagery that would become symbolic of a lost life in Vitebsk for which Chagall became famous – the goat, the lovers – appear throughout his circus scenes.

This exhibition will highlight how Chagall’s personal background, his experiences as an immigrant, and his lifelong embrace of theatricality shaped his circus imagery. By examining many of Chagall’s circus lithographs in dialogue with related paintings and writings, and projects for theatrical designs, the exhibition will offer visitors a multidimensional understanding of his creative process and his poetic imagination.