Cirque Mania celebrates 15th edition with exhibition

The fifteenth edition of Cirque Mania is reason to celebrate. We reflect on the highlights of past editions in an exhibition, here at Korzo.

Mirjam Zwanenburg is one of the new programmers of the festival starting coming edition and also played a big role in putting together the exhibition. ‘We’ve seen so many beautiful performances in the past fourteen editions,’ she says. ‘We’d like to celebrate with an exhibition. I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved so far with Cirque Mania. In the exhibition we’ll show the development of the festival over the years with costumes and objects that have played a big role in performances we still cherish.’

Coffee cups and glitter costumes

In the exhibition, objects will be displayed out of shows from makers like Michael Zandl, Marta en Kim, House of Circus, There There Company, Monki and more. ‘You can expect glitter costumes made by House of Circus, but also a series of white coffee cups by There There Company,’ tells Zwanenburg. ‘All these objects played major parts in some memorable shows. With help from the makers, we like to tell the stories and context behind these objects.’

The past fourteen editions Zwanenburg has seen a lot of shows. To name a list of highlights is a hard task for her, but she’ll never forget Engel by Marta en Kim. ‘A magical duet,’ says Zwanenburg. ‘In Engel Marta Alstadsæter and Kim-Jomi Fischer dance a duet with a big, reflecting foil as backdrop. Sometimes it reflects the dancers, sometimes you’ll see right through it. Marta and Kim play a beautiful game with that ambiguity of the decor. Marta is lifted quite often in this show and quite often it seems like she is floating. As an audience member, you really get transported to another world. That enormous roll of reflecting foil will be on display in the exhibition.’

Sawdust and glue

Some props of Sawdust Symphony by Michael Zandl – touring in the Netherlands at the moment – will also be at display in the exhibition. ‘Also a memorable performance I won’t easily forget,’ tells Zwanenburg. ‘The sawdust that kept coming, the dirty, sticky glue, the game of nails and spikes… A piece that shows that the genre of circus is versatile and exciting. That’s totally the message we’d like to convey with Cirque Mania and also a thing we want to highlight in this exhibition: that circus is a an underestimated and divers genre is with depth and substance.’

The exhibition will open during Cirque Mania (March 23 – March 26) in Korzo and is put together by Mirjam Zwanenburg, supported by Britt van Eijk and Pedro Coppa. Click here for more information and the complete programme of Cirque Mania.