An Introduction to Fairground Art
An unpretentious art form relating to people and pleasure…. Richard Ward
It is perhaps the lack of pretension that practitioners of fairground art have bought to their work that has served to undermine their output, and relegate it to the realm of mechanical trade rather than artistic expression. However one only needs to visit a fair and take a moment to survey its visual offerings in order to conclude that the aesthetics of the fairground deserve a great deal more respect and serious consideration.
Fairground art is notable as much for its famed exuberance and extravagance as it is for its remarkable diversity; acting as a melting pot for a cacophony of influences ranging from Classical art to Blockbuster movies, running the range between ornate rococo motifs and airbrush renderings of semi naked women. Fairground art's ability to adapt and blend different styles makes it an invaluable resource for the enthusiast and scholar alike; it acts to trace the changing tastes and attitudes of the consumer through time as well as offering sentimental reminders of the fairgrounds of the past.
Carved work at the Orton and Spooner factory c1900.
The aforementioned diversity seen in fairground art leads to difficulties in attempting to define and explore it as a cohesive and concise phenomenon. We might wonder how we can hope to discuss something that appears so disparate, however there are central underlying motives which bind all fairground art together. Fairground art, despite its variety, is bound together by one thing; its function. At all times, the primary purpose of the work of art on the fairground is to entice the consumer into parting with their money in exchange for the game, ride or product which is housed within a structure's painted façade. Whilst this is a different motivation from the paintings which reside in art galleries it does not undermine the skills of their creators, or the importance of the finished artworks as historical documents.
Figurative detail applied.
Fairground art is not a discipline or medium in its own right; it is always subsidiary or complimentary, to the most important aspect of the fair; the fulfillment of the function of the fair through the rides or attractions themselves. This function has evolved in time, from early attempts to educate and mystify with the shows, to simulate within the realms of the aspirational with early motor car rides and Venetian gondolas, and finally to immerse the participant in the extremes of speed and movement in the pursuit of thrill and the suspension of belief. In a sense then, fairground art is always adapting to meet the requirements of technological advancements; it has adapted to keep up with the changing dynamics of the fairground, both technologically and architecturally. This adaptation of art practise in order to meet a changing technological environment is one that is echoed throughout the wider history of art, for example the rise of photography greatly destabilised the genres of portraiture and landscape.
Orton and Spooner artists work on a chariot scene front.
Fairground art then, is defined by the machine on which it resides, it has adapted in order to fulfil its purpose in the face of the rampaging technological advances of the fair. The rides and stalls were the canvases on which fairground artists worked and their nature served to shape the artwork of specific periods.
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