Circus Night

When a little girl sees a jet-black puppy in her bedroom window, it marks the beginning of an exceptional night. The puppy turns out to be a veritable circus performer: it jumps through hoops with verve, plays the drums like a consummate musician and balances fearlessly on the curtain rod. The little girl practices eagerly alongside him. The clown on the bedroom wall also comes to life and transports the little girl to the circus. There she experiences the night of her life, meeting acrobats, taking part in the horse dressage, marvelling at the trapeze act and relishing the clowns’ antics. After the final act, the journey home begins. When she awakens, it’s as if it had all been a dream, though there’s a hint that dreams – just this once – aren’t merely an illusion.

In ‘Circus Night’, De Leeuw plays with imagination, reality, dreams and fantasy. His visual language is characterised by dynamic zest, elegant lines, delicate figures, exuberant colours – in warm blue, fiery red, and yellow and white tints – and playful, humorous intermezzos. The absence of text gives full rein to the prints, leaving you to feel like a spectator yourself at the circus.