Circus Acrobats at Crystal Palace
- Artist: Chris Steele-Perkins
- Date: 1980–9
- Medium: Photograph, dye destruction on paper
- Dimensions: image: 382 x 255 mm
- Museum: Tate Britain
- Collection record: Tate Britain website
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About this artwork
This is the “Circus Acrobats at Crystal Palace” by Chris Steele‑Perkins. It’s one of 44 colour cibachrome prints that make up his 1980–9 series called *The Pleasure Principle*. In this shot, the acrobats leap across a bright back‑drop in front of the iconic Crystal Palace dome – a familiar spot for British leisure and entertainment at the time.
The image was produced with a dye‑destruction process on paper, giving it that vibrant, slightly textured feel typical of 1980s colour film. Steele‑Perkins aimed to capture everyday “public rituals” that express identity and happiness. By filming these moments he shows how different classes and regions share the same playful rituals.
The work was purchased in 2016 with funds from the Photography Acquisitions Committee and is now on display in Tate Britain’s Modern and Contemporary British Art gallery, part of a 2026‑27 exhibition that includes his whole *Pleasure Principle* collection.
See it in person
Circus Acrobats at Crystal Palace is in the collection of Tate Britain on Millbank, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
