RINGLING AROUND THE WORLD

CIRCUS AND THE CITY: NEW YORK, 1793-2010

In September, 2012, a major exhibition opened at the Bard Graduate Center in New York City that explored the development of the circus in America. Matthew Wittmann, a curatorial fellow at the Bard Graduate Center, brought together over 200 circus artifacts that illustrated New York City’s circus history, from the equestrian displays of the late eighteenth century to the late nineteenth-century American railroad circus and, finally, to the circus of today. The exhibition offered a compelling look at how New York City influenced and inspired the circus. The circus, at the peak of its cultural significance, was a sophisticated combination of theater and business, which made effective use of advertising, train travel, and hyperbole. A section of the exhibition was devoted to the performers who captivated audiences, featuring the high-wire aerialist Karl Wallenda and the equestrienne May Wirth, both former Sarasota residents. The artifacts came from New York and national collections, including the New York Historical Society, the International Center of Photography, the Somers Historical Society, the New York State Museum, the Circus World Museum, the Barnum Museum, the Library of Congress, the Witte Museum, and the Shelburne Museum as well as the Ringling Museum and the Tibbals Collections.

Dr. Matthew Wittmann will be our featured speaker at this year’s World Circus Day on April 20, 2013, where he will explore the global impact of the American Circus.

Related Program

ViewPoint:

Empire of Fun: A Global History of the American Circus Saturday, April 20, 10:30 am Matthew Wittmann, Curatorial Fellow, The Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts, Design History, Material Culture

Historic Asolo Theater

Tickets & Information: 941.360.7399

WORLD CIRCUS DAY APRIL 20, 2013

The Fourth Annual World Circus Day will be celebrated around the world in 45 countries. The event is organized by Fédération Mondiale du Cirque, which was founded in 2008 under the patronage of H.S.H. Princess Stephanie of Monaco and is headquartered in Monte-Carlo. The Federation is a non-profit organization created to promote circus arts and culture worldwide, to serve as a voice for the circus community, and to represent circus interests at the international level.

Parties To Die For

A dynamic duo since their college days, Kathy Rainer and Tricky Wolfes are the leading ladies in event planning and floral design in the Southeast. Together they have put on some of Atlanta’s most talked-about events. Dubbed the “Ball Queens,” they have been the designers of choice for The Atlanta Botanical Garden’s annual Garden of Eden Ball, The Atlanta Ballet Ball, The State Botanical Ball of Georgia, and many others.

Listed on the Garden Club of America’s National Speakers Bureau, they are frequent presenters at prestigious floral events such as The Southeastern Flower Show, the Newport Flower Show, and the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Considering themselves a contemporary “Lucy and Ethel,” Rainer and Wolfes enjoy sharing their design expertise and know-how with audiences.

Featured in national publications such as The Knot and Flower Magazine, the delightful duo has won ribbons and trophies for their outstanding work. Rainer and Wolfes’ motto is “anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” Parties to Die For should feel right at home in a Museum known for its “over the top” collection.