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Just watched part of a lengthy YouTube video showing old circus posters and what was involved in restoring them. As a fan of old paper I of course was captivated by the segments showing how the work was done.
But much of the subject matter, and the manner in which it was presented, looked kinda creepy to my 2024 eyes, what with the garish colors and snarling tigers and the death-defying acrobats and fire eaters and all. And that pointed to a contributing factor in the demise of circus as we knew it. Much of the public came to view the production as off-putting, such that they likely wouldn’t have attended if admission was free.
Several of the posters themselves had artistic merit (discomforting art is still art), as did much of what they were promoting (ditto). I don’t discount the talent and effort involved in such presentations, my liking of it (or not) notwithstanding.
But much of the subject matter, and the manner in which it was presented, looked kinda creepy to my 2024 eyes, what with the garish colors and snarling tigers and the death-defying acrobats and fire eaters and all. And that pointed to a contributing factor in the demise of circus as we knew it. Much of the public came to view the production as off-putting, such that they likely wouldn’t have attended if admission was free.
Several of the posters themselves had artistic merit (discomforting art is still art), as did much of what they were promoting (ditto). I don’t discount the talent and effort involved in such presentations, my liking of it (or not) notwithstanding.
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