SERIES 'SORBONNE'S MORNING '

CIRCUS

Several years ago, while working on a mural for the Great St. Petersburg Circus, I visited every nook and cranny. Here's a trainer and his dogs. He's set up a table in the passageway between the cages, about to groom them. They sit obediently in their pen, waiting for "daddy" to call the dog's name. "Spice!" A white poodle jumps up on the table, and "daddy" begins combing its curls. The other "kids" patiently wait their turn...

The arena is in full swing: mats, ropes with harnesses, someone descending from under the dome, someone doing somersaults—everyone practicing their routine. It feels like a long, painstaking effort. And in the evening, there's a colorful performance. For me, both on both sides of the stage.