At the Circus: Vintage Soviet Cyrk Posters

The circus was the peoples’ entertainment. Unlike the ballet, it was accessible. Tickets were just a few dollars. It was Communist. In 1929, the USSR became the first country in the world with a state-run circus. It was a point of national pride and being a circus performer was a well-respected and highly coveted career. Thousands auditioned for the 70 spaces available at the school.

The state turned to poster artists to come up with a more modern aesthetic. The most famous posters to come out of this period were created by Polish School of poster artists like Jerzy Flisak, Wiktor Gorka and Andrzej Krajewski. They are characterised by bright colours, striking typography and an aesthetic playfulness. Read more