“Bon Spectac!” Is a phonetic play on the French phrase “bon spectacle”, or “have a good show”

This exhibition showcases some of the dissertation work of PhD Candidate and Circus Costume Designer Jenny Leigh Du Puis, ranging from engaged scholarship to design research garments, and includes posters, reading materials, videos, lectures, and the lived stories of circus community members. The main anchors of the exhibition are costumes and research processes from the Cirque Us production Rag Tag: A Circus in Stitches, the TrueHeart unitard series, and explorations of archival materials. Items from the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection have been paired alongside circus costumes to explore the crossover of inspiration from circus to fashion.

Complementary exhibition items include: a learning station with reading materials from the world of circus including books and show programs; a drawing station where attendees can sketch their own circus costumes on figure croquis; listening stations with audio recordings of circus community members discussing their costumes and experiences; videos of circus performances, and other engagement activities. Décor items include circus equipment and apparatus loaned by Ithaca’s Circus Culture school, which has been staged around the room. The installation is designed as a colorful and immersive environment that delineates the different zones of the space with commonly used color schemes in circus, including black/white/red, primary colors, brights, and neutrals.