The circus is a peculiar stage, and every performer embodies its contradictions. Not only are they artists, but also some self-questioning, profound young human beings in perpetual conflict between their desire for freedom and the need to create solid and lasting bonds. In every town they visit, every square they stop in, dozens of people pass by. Their glances cross for a fraction of a second; theirs are unfamiliar faces, always new, and they retain no memory of them. The only deep bonds which remain are with their family members and the other artists with whom they share this lifestyle. Despite having the opportunity to travel and see the world, their whole life unfolds within the confines of the circus. They move within that space defined by a metallic fence, a makeshift boundary which separates the world outside from their own. The circus is their lens; through the circus they see the world. And for the brief time of a performance, the world sees them and reaches them, wherever they are. "That fierce fire burning within" explores the contradictions of the nomadic lifestyle, following the form of an open dialogue between a photographer and young circus entertainers in search of their identity.

‍

About
Jacopo Papucci is an Italian-English freelance documentary photographer based in Italy. In addition to reporting on current events, particularly in his homeland and in Europe, his work is focused on issues of collective memory, as well as the sense of home and belonging, and the relationship between traditions and loss of cultural identity. Among other prizes, he has been selected as finalist in the CSP 2022 and named one of 30 emerging photographers to watch.