BIG TOP

KARIN SVADLENAK-GOMEZ

// Karin is from Vienna, Austria, and has lived and worked in a number of countries. We present Karin´s series “Big Top”, which she photographed during a performance of the Palazzo circus in Vienna in 2019. Palazzo is an annual winter event, a dinner show combined with circus artist performances.

The show is cancelled this year due to the pandemic, but will hopefully return in late 2021.

“Every artist was first an amateur”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

What draws me to art?

“I have immersed myself in different types of arts – mostly as a viewer – from a very young age. It began with visits to youth theatre performances, something that has a long tradition in Vienna. I had a subscription from primary school age. I think on the one hand, it allows me to dive into fascinating imaginary worlds. And on the other, it also opens new perspectives, shows personal experiences of the artists or social issues (something I am very interested in) through an aesthetic lens. As for making art, photography is the only tool I have.“

What impressed me especially about the Palazzo shows?

“When I visited this show for the first time in 2019, I was really impressed with the quality of the performers. It is a relatively small scale circus show, combined with an elegant dinner setting, all in red plush. I was most impressed by the high level artistry. And in general, I just love circus (without animals) because of the physical skill involved, and because of the magical combination of lights, atmosphere, music, and entertainment.”

Karin is the founder and editor of the Spectaculum Magazine (see also the About page). She has always had an interest in photography, but has developed a real passion for it over the last few years, crossing genres from landscape to documentary. She enjoys all the arts and loves combining her photographic passion with a visit to performances and exhibitions. She is also an editor for the Pictorial Mag and writes her own blog Viennacultgram.

Images are cropped for layout. Click on the photos to see the original version.