I promised there would be more circus arts in your daily helpings. It was really only a matter of time really. I had hoped to find some more beautiful and mesmerizing aerial straps performances, and in that regard, mission accomplished. What I didn’t expect was to find a beautiful short film that was both circus art and very pointed social commentary. But that is what I got when I discovered Human by Versatile Assassins. To be clear, I loved this film. It may not have been what I expected, but then again, art rarely is.
There’s a lot you could potentially take away from this film. For myself, it made me think about what it takes for people to pay attention to something. What has to happen for people to care about an issue? To simply acknowledge that there is a problem. I don’t know if that’s the precise message the filmmakers were going for, but it’s something that I’ve thought a lot about over the years. Especially in 2020. What does it take for people to take action?
This film illustrates this concept beautifully. It starts with people walking by a woman who is literally wearing shackles, and yet they take no notice. It’s only when she soars into the air that she is deemed worthy of their attention. When she’s become a spectacle. How many times do we demand a spectacle before we step in to help people? To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be challenged to think quite so much when searching for aerial straps, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
