Clown art is a form of circus print that focuses on the depiction of clowns. This subject has been explored widely by artists and has reached a new height of popularity among art enthusiasts within the last decade. These circus prints are often seen as a result of the modern art movement, although there are some clown art prints that predate it.
Many of these circus prints have a surreal quality to them. This effect is largely enforced through the use of props, such as makeup and costumes, however, many artists choose to make clown art this way in order to highlight the mystery of this subject. Clown art like 'Cirque Du Soleil-Varekai, c. 2002' is an example of surreal pictures in this art category, as is 'Clown Dimitri'.
Clown art doesn't only depict individual clowns, however. Many of these circus prints are also advertisements for various shows and performances. These clown prints often include more than one person, although they may be tied together as a group through outfit or activities. Some example of group clown art can be seen in the circus print, 'Cirque Du Soleil- “O” c. 1998 (zebras)'.
Clown art, despite being thought of as containing 'immature' subject matter, is a complex and diverse art category. Sensitive and serious works abound in this art category, regardless of whether they are surreal pictures or pop art paintings. As clown art has become more acceptable in mainstream society, more and more circus prints are beginning to receive recognition for being the beautiful and unique works that they are.
