Traveling Circus

$3,500.00

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Specification

Size

Medium

Editions

Limited Edition

Print that is signed and numbered by the artist.

Shipping and Framing

This will come to you either unframed and tubed with complimentary Continental U.S. shipping – use code ARTFREESHIP – or you can add a custom frame with us.

The artwork “Traveling Circus” by Michael Parkes is a giclée on canvas that embodies the spirit of magical realism, blending elements of fantasy into a scene that sparks the imagination. The quote accompanying the piece suggests a philosophical undertone to the work:

“We follow butterflies from place to place, hoping they know the Way. We all have our own clowns, jugglers, magicians, daredevils, and an audience that surrounds us on our journey. It helps to know it is all Illusion. It makes it all the more enjoyable.”

This description sets a tone of life’s journey being a spectacle, similar to a circus, where each of us plays various roles and are, in turn, spectators to the acts of others. The butterflies symbolize guidance and the pursuit of direction in life’s path, seemingly whimsical yet profoundly meaningful. The characters in the piece—a woman reclined on a rhinoceros raising a lion cub into the air, another poised beside a mountain lion, and a mechanical bird perched above—serve as the cast of this traveling circus, each representing different aspects of the quote.

The woman with the lion cub could be seen as the magician or nurturer, raising the next generation into a world of wonder. The second woman, who touches the mountain lion so delicately, could be the daredevil or the peacemaker, finding harmony with what might be wild and dangerous. The mechanical bird, a marvel of imagination, is perhaps the embodiment of the innovation and artifice present in a circus.

The sky in the background, tranquil and vast, juxtaposes the grounded, surreal elements, suggesting a world where the boundaries between reality and illusion are blurred. The presence of the butterflies ties back to the quote, embodying the fleeting nature of the acts and scenes we encounter on our journey through life.

Overall, “Traveling Circus” is not just a visual spectacle but a metaphorical canvas, inviting contemplation on the nature of our experiences and the joys found in embracing the illusions that color our existence. This giclée would be a profound conversation starter, ideal for an art gallery setting where viewers are encouraged to delve deeper into the narratives woven by such captivating imagery.