The Arkell Museum at Canajoharie, NY is presenting the colorful exhibition Circus Circus (June 12, 2016 – October 16, 2016) featuring paintings of the American circus by artists from the 1920s and 1930s alongside circus-themed marketing materials used by the Beech-Nut Packaging Company in the 1930s. The circus coming to town was a highly anticipated event in small towns across America, and many artists in the twenties and thirties painted the spectacle of the parade as the circus arrived, and the excitement under the big top. The exhibition includes paintings by Jon Corbino, Ogden Pleissner and Everett Shinn.

Images of circus cars, animals and acrobats were also used to market food products during the 1930s. The Beech-Nut Packing Company was one of the companies to use the excitement and nostalgia of the circus to sell its products. They created magazine ads with clowns and circus animals to sell their gum. Beech-Nut commissioned artist-illustrators, including Norman Rockwell, to create these images for their advertisements. This circus-themed marketing campaign culminated in the creation of Beech-Nut miniature circuses that traveled across the country in busses, and a miniature circus was displayed in their pavilion at the New York World’s Fair in 1939.

Circus Circus opens to the public on June 12, 2016 and remains on exhibition through October 16. 2016. Programs planned with this exhibition include Circus Theatricks at the museum on July 10th and a talk by noted art historian Karal Ann Marling on August 6th at 2:00 pm. For more information on programs visit http://www.arkellmuseum.org/events-calendar

Circus Circus sponsored by the Beech-Nut Nutrition Company. Beech-Nut is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

Admission to the museum is always free for Arkell Museum Members and children 11 and under. Museum admission for adults is $8.00; $6.00 for students and seniors. The Museum is open Tuesday – Friday from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Saturday – Sunday from noon – 5:00 PM. For more information about exhibition and programs and directions to the museum visit www.arkellmuseum.org