theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Is Magic an Art? Thread #459

Toby

Toby

Sep 1, 2007
1,395
8
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Belgrade, Serbia
Hey guys!
I know this question has been asked gazillion times, but here is a cool video of what some of the well known magicians think about that question.
Enjoy!

[video=youtube;GNGDoroJtYw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNGDoroJtYw[/video]
 
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Great video! I believe that most of the time it isn't, but it CAN be. You have to take it to a certain almost indescribable level to turn magic into art. I think it's a great challenge for us all, take one of your favorite tricks and transform it into a piece of art!
 
Like Chad Long said in that video, "I can't describe it but I know it when I see it." I think a lot of magicians "try too hard" to be artists. As soon as you do that I think you lose whatever it is that ART is. Jamie has a great way of putting it but if I would offer advice to a newbie I would strongly recommend they aspire to be a great craftsman and hope that art follows.

A friend of mine was really inspired by some research on creativity. In this research the psychologists commissioned art from various artists. They then just asked for submissions from other artists. These other submissions were not paid for at all. They then had a panel of art critics judge the art. Buy an overwhelming majority the art that was paid for in advance was less well recieved by the critics. So my buddy did his own experiment(not with performers but with various magic creators. He paid some $20 bucks and said... create me a new trick in two days. To others he simply asked them to create a new trick in the next two days. He had a similar experience. The creators who were just creating an effect for the joy of magic seemed to create more interesting and or more clever effects than the ones who were paid money to invent something new.

So this is somewhat of a tangent but it speaks to the main point. The more extrinsically motivated you are to achieve something creatively, the farther you get from true creativity. The desire for a reputation can be as big an extrinsic motivator as the desire to get paid. Thus, to my original point, if you are clearly motivated by your desire to be considered an "Artist" within the magic community, the harder it will be to actually BE an artist within our community.
 
Is it an art? Maybe.. But it is a craft, and one thing my mentor has constantly told me is that this or any craft. There is no finish line, and one you can allow yourself to deal with that.. Then you'll learn how to fly.
 
Very interesting! I was always under the impression that magic was regarded as an art form by the majority of the community.

It's interesting that the one individual likens some magicians to pornographers! Too funny.
 
Randy said:
Is it an art? Maybe.. But it is a craft, and one thing my mentor has constantly told me is that this or any craft. There is no finish line, and one you can allow yourself to deal with that.. Then you'll learn how to fly.
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I agree
I don`t understand why it is important for some magicians that magic is regarded as an art form.
Instead they should rather concentrate on mastering the craft.

I like what Ortiz said about that in Designing Miracles:
Quote by Darwin Ortiz
Every endeavor that aspires to beeing an art form is also a craft. You can`t create art without first mastering the tools and techniques of your art form, which is exactly what craft is all about.
It`s only in Magic that many seem to feel that talking about art can substitute for mastering craft. This may partially reflect an inferiority complex stemming from the realization that no one except magicians considers magic an art form. It`s also, I think, an excuse for laziness.Talking about art is easy, working at your craft is hard. My own feeling is that, if we can improve the generally low level of craft in magic, the art aspect will take care of itself.
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