Arthur DiMambro & Alan Rushing: The Circus Project

Arthur DiMambro and Alan Rushing are two gentlemen who work together on paintings and created a collection of artwork called the Circus Project. They are both different ages and come from different generations. This is an unusual pair which makes it interesting and different to see these men come together and create paintings and do what they enjoy collectively. They both worked on these painting equally. The efforts of both artists are in each painting which is rare to find but it makes these images unique. Even though they work collectively on each painting they took turns and work on it separately at different times. Working this way subtracts each other’s work so an idea that DiMambro had when painting may be different than Rushing’s when he came in to paint. The ideas each artist has for the painting may change but it came out good in the end as if just one artist painted the picture.
In most of DiMambro’s and Rushing’s paintings the objects and characters are outlined which emphasize each part. It makes the characters bold so that they stick out. This collection of art is also very colorful and has a common, bold, color of red in most of the paintings with a shiny finish. Circus images always seem to be bright with an exciting atmosphere. The way the paint was brushed on was not perfectly smeared. You can notice the lines and brush strokes. It is not one solid coat like a painted wall. Most of the circus project paintings are close up, there is not much distance especially compared to Robert Morgan’s watercolor paintings. We as the viewer are able to see the character and objects close up. It is interesting to see these paintings have images of clowns. Clowns is not an image that you see very often, which makes the work that much more extraordinary. Clowns are the most iconic figures in the circus. They each have their own face, outfit and character that they portray. The clown represents human features and moods; we can be happy, crazy and even sad. This makes clowns relatable. We can relate to their character by the mood we are in. Each clown has a different face to match our moods that change daily.
The paintings Death at the Circus and Funeral Procession both have similar significance. These paintings are a contradiction to the idea of a circus being fun and exciting. Do to the fact that circus performers are traveling for long periods of time they spend a great deal of time together. Both paintings show how a group of employees become their own community by spending time together and becoming close to another. After performance hours they travel to other locations on bus or some form of transportation and they move away from their work characters. During non working hours they share stories and become their own family. These two paintings amplify that sense of community as the circus family parades outside on the curved road as they gather together in a time of need for one another. It shows that they will always be there for each other.
When I first looked at Funny Business I noticed the divided line in the middle of the painting. I had known that two artist were involved in each painting so the idea that one artist painted one side and the other painted the other side came to my mind. This painting is an example of the bold outlines I had mentioned before. They are very noticeable since the bodies are outlined in black. The characters in this painting are all in different positions. Some are sitting up straight and others are sloughing forward or standing. With these positions we are able to see every character fairly well none of their faces are being hidden. The picture is somewhat balanced by having three figures on each side, 3 clowns on one side and 2 characters and a dog on the other side. The clowns, ringmaster and possibly owner are sharing a meal which goes back to the idea of community. There is no separation between workers and owners of the circus as they all sit and share a meal together. They could be having a conversation about how the show went or the events for the day.
Peep Show and Legs both portray the image of a stripper. They both are symmetrically structured, and employ this idea by having the stripper in the center. On the left hand side of Peep Show towards the bottom of the red and white stripped tent we see young boys hiding trying to get a peek of the show. Legs has men looking up at the women who we as the view of the painting can only see her legs. The men are looking up to a sexually authority figure that they are not able to touch but might want to. Legs has us use our imagination of what the men in the picture are looking at and who the woman is. Both boys in the painting show how we all have a curious sense to us about many things. As DiMambro and Rushing were once young boys, this project is a piece of their childhood that they were reminiscing on. The Circus project as a whole is a remembrance of childhood and the stories that came along with it. The circus is a popular childhood event which makes these painting relatable to many viewers. DiMambro and Rushing are painting their own version of an antique due to the many years the circus has made countless memories in the audience’s lives. These two artists went back in time to when they were young boys going to the circus and seeing the clown and animal under a bug red and white stripped tent.
My paper is good because I got the sense of the circus project and why they chose to paint about the circus. Even though DiMambro and Rushing did not grow up in the same time period the experience of going to a circus is the same for every young child. I think each painting has a story or reason behind it. A weakness is sometimes finding that story that the artist is trying to tell the viewer. Some paintings are more self explanatory than others. Not every viewer has the same story for each painting which makes art interesting and conceptual.