The Golden Miniatures is a body of work by Katrine Claasens, inspired by a historical photograph of a grave for circus animals in the United Kingdom, marking the tombstone of several circus ponies and a zebra who died in a fire at Chessington Circus in 1935. The inscription - particularly the line “We think they must have souls” - forms the emotional core of the series, prompting reflection on memory, care and the overlooked lives bound to human spectacle.

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Claassen, whose practice spans painting and drawing, is drawn to subjects that allow quiet contemplation and emotional resonance. Initiated in 2011, The Golden Miniatures reimagines these animals beyond their historical fate, placing them into imagined wilderness landscapes where they exist freely and without harm. Through this ongoing narrative of release and dignity, her work invites viewers to consider empathy, resilience and the enduring presence of lives once lost.