Le Cirque - Journal d'un dompteur de chaise #[nn]

A bald, slight figure stands alone in a circus spotlight, hoop raised in one hand and whip at his feet — not taming lions, but presiding over an unruly collection of chairs. Iléana Surdugan's watercolor cover for this Makaka Éditions release has a quietly absurdist charm, with the drum, stool, and mismatched seats arranged around their "tamer" like reluctant performers. This 2012 French-language gem looks like a gentle, witty meditation on everyday objects given an unexpectedly theatrical life.