“Circus originates from the Latin “circular line” – a place of performance that traces back to Roman times. Then, amphitheatres hosted events to entertain the populace. The most popular of all was the gladiator games. Professionally trained for combat, the ultimate aim for condemned criminals, slaves and volunteers hoping to escape poverty, was a fight to the death, pitted against other gladiators or even wild animals. Never mind that gladiator games epitomised the notion of ethical combat, to say that the games were divisive would be an understatement. The truth is, the more violent they were, the more the audience was delighted, believing that the human in the arena was deserving of their fate.

In a series of satirical poems, the early 2nd century Roman poet Juvenal wrote about how these games were designed to appease people. He spoke of “bread and circuses” – panem et circenses, a figure of speech pointing to the idea of a government garnering public approval through doling out food and entertainment to the populace. Juvenal’s words were written in a critical context, implying that people can be easily distracted by appeasement and, as a consequence, fail to engage critically with their governments’ alternative agenda.

While contemporary entertainment featuring violent combat might largely be confined to the virtual world of gaming and movies, the current political agenda still employs divisive, sometimes even destructive, methods to distract the populace. Today’s populist politics still deploy sacrificial altars, scapegoating chosen categories of people in order to gain public support. Be they migrants, poverty stricken, those seeking the safety of other lands or people with certain religious beliefs, our gaze is consistently directed towards an ever-changing other – those portrayed as an enemy and metaphorically crucified to appease the populace with the spectacle.  An antagonist is consistently posited on our horizon as we are guided to a notion that convinces us – we must protect ourselves and our country from those who plot to steal our jobs, our culture, our national identity, our private information, our way of life and, most importantly, our wealth and prosperity. This pursuit ultimately educes the worst in us.

All the while, undeterred, we blissfully keep consuming far beyond that required to live comfortably. Basking in our spending panacea and inebriated by our excess, we do not question that which is dubious, be it the tyranny of corporations, the destruction of the environment or the gradual vanishing of government transparency and accountability. “Consumerism and the other” are our “bread and circuses”, as our stare is expertly diverted from the slow erosion of democracy. To cement their power, those who rule humanity keep us appeased, entertained and distracted with two powerful tools – a villain and shopping.”

Patrizia Biondi
Artist Statement – 2021