From Anthropocentrism to New Materialism: Circus Objects and Apparatuses

• Applicant: Dr. Franziska Trapp
• Subject Area: Theatre and Media Studies ; General and Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
• Term: from 2020 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 446040934

• Final Report Year: 2024

Final Report Abstract

The research project analyses the development of subject-object relationships in the circus and places them in their cultural-historical context. The interaction between the social understanding of dealing with objects and the specific use of objects and apparatus in the circus is the center of interest. The project sees itself as an interdisciplinary, heuristic experiment: how does our perspective change and what new results do we arrive at when we consider the agency of objects and apparatuses? The interaction between human and non-human in the circus was analyzed in three core areas: dramaturgy, equipment design and architecture. The close collaboration with partners from the field made it possible to understand performances not only as a final product, but also to include the creation process as a central element of artistic expression. Based on an understanding of circus as a relational art practice, the analyses of performances, creation processes and buildings call for the further development and partial revision of established methods of theatre studies, which are revised against the background of an understanding of non-human matter as vital and agential. At the time of reporting, selected research results had already been published or accepted for publication in the form of articles in scientific journals. In addition, the majority of the findings have been presented for discussion at academic conferences. The monograph resulting from the project is currently being finalized. A leading role in the increasing institutionalization of international circus research was correlated with public visibility in various appearances in newspapers, radio (WDR) and television (ARTE).

Publications

• The non-human animal artist. Toward the presentation of an artistic species companionship. In: JAR. Journal for artistic research. (Digitale Ausstellung, zur Veröffentlichung angenommen; Bestätigungsschreiben anbei)
  Trapp, Franziska, Sabrina Sow & Natan Alberta
  
• (DE-)CENTER. Thewis, 114-126.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• (More than) Human? Inszenierungsstrategien im Zeitgenössischen Zirkus. In: Tim Behrens, Jenny Patschovsky (Hrsg.): Voices III. Re-Thinking Objects. Der Non-Human Turn im Zeitgenössischen Zirkus.Köln 2022. p. 8-13. (Beilage In: Tim Behren und Jenny Patschovsky (Hrsg.): Circus in Flux. Zeitgenössischer Zirkus. Köln: Theater der Zeit 2022.)
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• Not my Circus not my Monkeys. Introducing Contemporary Circus. In: Tim Behren und Jenny Patschovsky (Hrsg.): Circus in Flux. Zeitgenössischer Zirkus. Köln: Theater der Zeit 2022. S. 16-23.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• 360° Circus. Routledge.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• Reading circus. 360° Circus, 100-114. Routledge.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• Readings of Contemporary Circus. Routledge.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• Welcome to the Wonderland of contemporary circus. Readings of Contemporary Circus, 135-150. Routledge.
  Trapp, Franziska
  
• ‘Dresse-toi!’ Perspectives on the (Re)Valorisation of Nonhuman Animal Performers in Contemporary Circus. Animal Studies Journal, 13(1), 103-136.
  Trapp, Franziska