The Big Kid Circus
Commissioned by Lancaster Arts
The Big Kid Circus project tells a story, this is a story of survival. When almost thirty men, woman and children were neglected I felt it was my duty to document one effect of the pandemic that the world was not yet seeing. I risked exposure to tell this story because there was an urgent need to cause action to happen, to implore others to take action. Photographing the circus artists during the pandemic has been a difficult experience. I journeyed through a number of emotions alongside the artists, discovering emotions I am not certain I was aware of previously.
There was a prevalent array of fear within the community, a fear of contracting the deadly virus, a fear of losing loved ones, a fear of having no income, a fear of going without food and a fear of being forgotten. Everybody was experiencing an enormity of stress, moods were low, heads were lowered, eyes cast to the ground and shoulders slumped; for some getting out of bed in the morning became a hopeless task. The artist were not engaging in conversation, neglecting their duties and avoiding any activities. However, a bright light of humanity cut through the thick fog of suffering and our voices were quietly being heard, solid relationships were forming, and the threat of the virus slowly being lessened. Suddenly the stress is easing, moods are improving and there is hope.
The Big Kid Circus is the only circus in the United Kingdom to have been stranded during lockdown. Surviving for a total of five and a half months feeling marooned on our Island with no way of getting home to their loved ones.
Lancaster Arts Breathing Space Project Interview
- How was Breathing Space useful to you as an artist and for your practice during the lockdown period?
I became trapped in what can only be described as a Groundhog Day experience, each day I fulfilled the same routine tasks and sat down with the rest of the country to watch the daily updates on the nightmare that we were living through. Every half an hour or so I would walk from front garden to back garden for a change of scenery, hoping for some form of creativity to reawaken where a numb nothingness lingered.
Scrolling on the Lancaster Arts Volunteers page I saw the announcement for the Breath Space Commission and finally I had a focus!
- What did you experience or learn? This may be about the sensation or experience of making work at such an extraordinary moment, or a piece of learning from the process that has enabled you to think differently about your practice/making work.
What struck me the most about this project was the humanity that shone out of such a dark and desolate time. I was received by the circus community with such warmth and kindness and have made solid friendships, the community have declared us as family. Each day I witnessed people bringing donations of food and essential supplies. People started to recognise the work I was doing there and would identify me as ‘the Lancaster Arts photographer’. I witnessed humanity at its finest and for that I am truly grateful.
https://www.lancasterarts.org/get-involved/projects/breathing-space/is-there-anybody-out-there/
