ALEXANDER CALDER

The concept of the workshop-exhibition_What a Circus_ is inspired by Calder’s 1926 creation Calder’s Circus, a complex and unique piece made from wire, leather, fabric, and other materials to form a portable circus that fits in a suitcase. Calder could manipulate the movement of each element, engaging a groundbreaking performative act, sparking the idea for his famous mobile sculptures. Calder’s use of minimal lines and colours creates a poetic balance, crafting rhythmically mobile sculptures.

What a Circus is a cross-temporal dialogue with Calder and a call to the innocence and joy within us all. ‘Balance,’ ‘colour,’ and ‘movement’ are the permanent ‘guests’ of this circus, inviting every visitor to explore the symbiotic laws of creation between art and science. Here, unique creativity will flourish, and visitors will become circus members, playing various roles. They are the audience, the creators, and the performers, exploring the dynamic balance between people, space, and art. When sculptures can move, and drawings can grow, this revived circus scene becomes an inspiring, unconventional, and self-challenging creative journey. Through interdisciplinary practice, the public will not only break creative thinking patterns but also experience the charm of limitless art forms.

The exhibition comprises three interactive parts: Playing with Balance, Drawing in Space, and In the Ring. In Playing with Bal__ance, participants can experience the thrill of tightrope walking and observe their every movement through the mirror, turning themselves into mobile sculptures. In Drawing in Space, they will explore the transformation of drawings from two-dimensional to three-dimensional forms, presenting more complex layers in three-dimensional space. From simple lines to complex volumes, drawing is not limited to flat surfaces but rather shows richer layers in three-dimensional space. In In the Ring, participants will move from individual exploration to collective creation, using their imagination to create moving performers for the circus performance. The exhibition encourages hands-on practice and features audio recordings, documentaries, films, and digital displays of Calder’s manuscripts.

Since its opening, the West Bund Museum has launched several interactive installation exhibitions. These allow both children and adults to experience a world of reversed proportions in the_Passing Though_ exhibition, discover the secrets of colour in the_Living Images_ exhibition, explore intriguing perspectives in the_My Eye_ exhibition, embark on an ecological adventure in the_Sid and the World Below_ exhibition, awaken their awareness of the era and self through symbols in the The People of Tomorrow interactive installation exhibition, and nourish the The Plantamouves with their own insights.

The new What a Circus exhibition will invite visitors to unleash their imagination. Through a rich sensory experience involving their eyes, ears, hands, and entire body, they will be transported to the artistic world of Alexander Calder, a key figure in 20th-century sculpture history. This exhibition offers a cross-temporal dialogue, allowing visitors to personally experience Calder’s creative process, engage in hands-on activities, and continue writing his own philosophy of creation. Pop-up workshops will be launched during the exhibition. For more information, follow the official West Bund Museum social media accounts.