Untitled (Side Show) 

Philip Reisman created this lithograph, Untitled (Side Show). Its bustling composition immediately evokes the carnivalesque spirit of a traveling show, a spectacle for the masses. Notice the central figures of dancers, their bodies contorted in ecstatic motion, while a musician plays for them. This echoes the frenzy of Dionysian rituals, where dance and music led to states of trance and altered consciousness. The theatrical is heightened by the eerie light bulb overhead, casting long shadows that accentuate the artificiality of the scene. The contorted forms and grotesque masks find parallels in ancient Greek theatre, where masks amplified emotions and archetypes. Yet, here, these figures are not gods or heroes but ordinary people seeking escape in the spectacle. The pointing figure in the foreground directs our gaze, inviting us to partake in this fleeting moment of spectacle and wonder. The collective memory of carnivals, from ancient festivals to modern fairs, taps into our subconscious desire for freedom, release, and perhaps, a glimpse behind the curtain of everyday life. This print leaves a lasting emotional impression.