THE CIRCUS

I sought a theme and sought for it in vain,

I sought it daily for six weeks or so.

Maybe at last being but a broken man

I must be satisfied with my heart, although

Winter and summer till old age began

         My circus animals were all on show,         

Those stilted boys, that burnished chariot,

Lion and woman and the Lord knows what. 

Scene no 60: Cardboard reconstruction of the Humberto’s Circus (Artia Prag edition of Vojtech Kubasta, folding panorama, pop-up display) and two real, roaring lions (Elastolin composition animals) among the paper artists.

The text: The first verses from the poem The Circus Animals’ Desertion, by William Butler Yeats.

DWARF-KINGDOM

For over seven centuries the Dwarf-kingdom of Erebor grew wealthy and powerful, but in the year 2770 the winged, fire-breathing dragon called Smaug the Golden destroyed the realm, and drove out the Dwarves.

           

 

                 

Scene no 59: The front gate to Erebor (WETA, Front Gate to Erebor, Sculptors: Dave Tremont and Leonard Ellis) carved into the green stone of the Lonely Mountain. And all around, green trees (Unknown manufacturer).

The text: From TOLKIEN - The Illustrated Encyclopedia, by David Day.

EL CID

…

And so his honour in the land grows greater day by day.

Upon the feast of Pentecost from life he passed away.

For him and all of us the Grace of Christ let us implore.

…

 

                        

 

Scene no 58: Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (Del Prado collection, El Cid, 1098) gallops past a ruined medieval church (King & Country, Battle-scarred French church) among the leafless autumn trees (Heki decoration plastic tree kit).

The text: From the last verses of «The poem of the Cid».

ATALI

“Brothers!” cried the girl, dancing between them.

 “Look who follows! I have brought you a man to slay! 

Take his heart that we may lay it smoking on our father’s board!”

 

 

                    

 

                 

Scene no 57: Conan against the children of Ymir (Dark Horse full color PVC set, Figures designed by artist Arthur Suydam).

The text: From Robert E. Howard’s «The Frost Giants Daughter».

ANIMAL FARM

«All animals are equal,

but some animals are more equal than others.»

 

 

Scene no 56: The pigs Napoleon and Snowball stand out among the rest of the farm animals (Britains plastic Toy farm animals and fences).

The quote: From George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

ZINNFIGUR

«The flat is a point of reference to the historian,

a means of expression to the artist,

and an object of desire to the collector.»

 

 

             

Scene no 55: Late medieval army - before the parade (Hand-painted, flat-cast metal miniatures).

What is a flat: From The Art of the Flat Tin Figure, by Michael Taylor.

ACHILLES

«As a fire raging in some mountain glen after long drought - and the dense forest is in a blaze, while the wind carries great tongues of fire in every direction - even so furiously did Achilles rage, wielding his spear as though he were a god, and giving chase to those whom he would slay, till the dark earth ran with blood.»

 

                                                

                                                                                                       

Scene no 54: The fearsome son of Peleus on his chariot (Athena plastic toy soldiers), scatters the Trojans (Britains Herald plastic figures, all different poses of Trojans) among the plants (Athena plastic palm foliage).

The text: From The Iliad of Homer - Βοοκ ΧΧ.

PAPAGENO

The bird-catcher, that’s me,

always cheerful, hip hooray!

As a bird-catcher I’m known

to young and old throughout the land.

I know how to set about luring

and how to be good at piping.

That’s why I can be merry and cheerful,

for all the birds are surely mine.

 

                                      

 

 

Scene no 53: Papageno, the bird-catcher (Wilhelm Schweizer - Diessen, hand-painted pewter figure) walks down a forest path (Hand-painted pewter trees, made in Austria and Bavaria), carrying on his back a birdcage containing various birds.

The lyrics: From Act One of The Magic Flute, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder.                                                                                                                                                                                                

GEORGE BEST

Maradona GOOD,

Pelé BETTER,

GEORGE BEST

 

 

 

 

Scene no 52: In the center, George Best (Le Café Martin, gold plastic figure, no 10) among the common football players, referees and coaches (Airfix 1:32 scale Footballers, Sports series, all plastic figures in various different poses). The Champion trophies are optional! (Subbuteo, European Competitions Cup C 118 and European Cup C 204/ 61204).

EASTER BUNNY

«The sun warms everything,

pure and gentle,

once again it reveals to the world

April’s face,

the soul of man

is urged towards love

and joys are governed

by the boy-god.»

 

 

 

Scene no 51: The holy cook rabbit among the white lamb and the red rooster. Between and in front of them the sacred eggs of rebirth (all toys made in Greece from unknown manufacturers except the basket with the small plastic eggs, by Apergis Toys). Behind the rabbit, an Art Nouveau floral representation (Churchill’s Daffodils tin box, made in the United Kingdom). And on the top of the box a big, paper mache Easter Egg (Echt Erzgebirge, made in Germany).

The verses: From Carmina Burana – Omnia Sol Temperat. 

DARK CRUSADE

«Ruthless intelligence showed in the brutal face, framed by nape-length red hair and a beard like rust. A red silk scarf encircled his thick neck, and belted across the barrel chest, the hilt of a Carsultyal sword protruded over his right shoulder. The savage blue eyes held a note in their stare that promised sudden carnage should that huge left hand reach for the hilt.»

                      

 

                                 

 

Scene no 50: The immortal and amoral warrior Kane (plastic figure based on Frank Frazetta’s Dark Kingdom painting, Master Artist Series Frazetta action figures, 8 Ball Studios) advances over the dead (plastic skeletons, Biokonto, made in Greece).

The text: From the novel Dark Crusade, by Karl Edward Wagner.                                    

EASY RIDER

I like smoke and lightning;

Heavy metal thunder

Racing with the wind

And the feeling that I’m under

Yeah, darlin’ gonna make it happen

Take the world in a love embrace

Fire all your guns at once

And explode into space

 

Like a true nature’s child

We were born

Born to be wild

We can climb so high

I never wanna die

 

Born to be wild

Born to be wild

Scene no 49: The freewheeling motorbikes (Matchbox toys, Speed Kings Easy Rider K-47, Superfast Chopper No 38, The Stingeroo) pass in front of the lined up patrol cars (Matchbox toys, Police Cars, King size Mercury Commuter K-23, Ford Fairlane 55b, Ford Galaxie No 55/59, Speed Kings K-36/41 Bandolero) continuing their journey into the counterculture.

The verses: From the song Born to be Wild, by Steppenwolf.

THE ROBOTS

«A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.»

           

                  

                                   

 

Scene no 48: The Robots are here! (Horikawa battery operated, tin Toy Robots. Rotate-O-Matic action. Super Robot with box, Attacking Martian with Japanese home market box, and second generation Mr. Zerox. Lighted guns with sound – concealed behind opening doors for the first two robots).

The text: Three Laws of Robotics. From the story «Runaround», included in the 1950 collection «I, Robot», by Isaac Asimov.

BLOOD AND FLOWERS

«Blood and flowers were alike, Isao thought, in that both were quick to dry up, quick to change their substance. 

And precisely because of this, then, blood and flowers could go on living by taking on the substance of glory.» 

Scene no 47: WWII Japanese Infantry (Britains Deetail Toy soldiers, all 6 figures, Set 7352) take up battle positions in the rainforest (Diorama of trees by unknown maker).

The text: From «Runaway Horses», by Yukio Mishima.

THE BEAUTY OF SPEED

«We declare that the splendor of the world has been enriched by a new beauty: the beauty of speed. A racing automobile with its bonnet adorned with great tubes like serpents with explosive breath ... a roaring motor car which seems to run on machine-gun fire, is more beautiful than the Victory of Samothrace.»

 

 

 

 

Scene no 46: Racing, roaring, motor cars (Unknown manufacturer, tin toy models) on the road bend (Bush model building item, Road Curve, ΗΟ/ΤΤ 1103).

The text: The fourth statement from the Manifesto of Futurism, by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti.  

BLOOD’S CRIMSON

  Hell grant soon we hear again the swords clash!

  And the shrill neighs of destriers in battle rejoicing,

  Spiked breast to spiked breast opposing!

  Better one hour’s stour than a year’s peace

  With fat boards, bawds, wine and frail music!

  Bah! there’s no wine like the blood’s crimson!

 

Scene no 45: Knights in ambush (Britains toys, Mini Set 1082, 1:42 scale mini-scenic models).

The verses: From "Sestina: Altaforte" by Ezra Pound.