In this book, Paul Bouissac, pioneer and master of the scientific approach to circus arts, demonstrates in a complete and brilliant way, by semiotic, anthropological and cognitive approaches, how the clowning art is a multimodal and complex act of communication, which produces laughter and sense through cognitive and cultural constructions shared by artists and spectators. THE definitive reference to understand clowning
Semiotics often lacks clear applications, but this book addresses this gap by exploring the circus as a complex object of study. It aims to describe how circus performances generate meaning and evoke deep emotional responses from audiences. Rather than applying a single theory to explain phenomena, the book employs a bottom-up strategy, examining the objects themselves and drawing from a wide range of methodological resources to tackle encountered challenges. Circus acts are multifaceted events with cognitive and emotional dimensions, deeply rooted in their cultural and sociological contexts. Therefore, the book incorporates diverse theoretical approaches, including structural semiotics, biosemiotics, pragmatics, socio-semiotics, cultural anthropology, cognitive sciences, and the psychology and sociology of emotions. Ultimately, it seeks to enhance readers' understanding of circus performances and foster an appreciation for the skills and creativity inherent in this evolving traditional art form, which continues to captivate audiences across generations.