Yes, magic is not all about the sleights. It's much, much more.
However, it's my opinion that the actual Art of magic and the magic that is performed, are two different things.
Imagine I were to see the Monalisa, or the Last Supper. When I see these paintings, as somebody who doesn't really understand the Art of painting on deeper levels, I'd think of (in order):-
1) The controversies related to those paintings.
2) Admire the artist for being brave enough to make such bold paintings and statements.
3) Maybe admire the composition of the paintings, the colours used and mixed.
4) Start thinking about how brilliant even things made by mere humans can be if enough thought is put into it.
That's about it. I wouldn't be able to admire the brush strokes, or be struck in wonder about how much effort was put into actually taking the colours and using them the way they have been used.
If we put this in the perspective of magic, I can like a well-scripted ACR, or an impossible-looking Cups and Balls routine. But this admiration exists only on the surface, and if at all the magician is proficient enough, it sparks thoughts and emotions within the viewer. All of this is beautiful. BUT...
On an artistic level, I will still love a very difficult colour change or concealment, which might achieve something that CAN be done with a much simpler sleight too, but I'll love the technique used, I repeat, on an artistic level. There's something to be said for executing sleights beautifully.
I repeat, magic is not about that and I understand. A lot of performers today deliberately do sleights in a way that glorifies the beauty of the sleight itself, not so much the final effect (just look through Instagram), and they are low-key shunned for that.
My point is that they shouldn't be. If that's the magic they think is the magic to be PERFORMED however, they can be criticised for missing the entire point of 'Magic' happening, but if they just share it for the love of the art, for the love of sleight-of-hand, I don't think they should be reprimanded.
There's a place for an effect where the card changes when it looks as if nothing happened except the wave of a hand, and an effect where it's clear that the hand did something which made the card change, yet it's possible to appreciate the work put behind in achieving the sleight. Mind that these two realms are different, that showing off your move-monkey-self isn't really what would create a 'real and magic' environment for the audience but well, it depends on what my definition of magic is, right?
As an artist, a difficult sleight satisfies me so much more when executed well. However (as frustrating as it is), since often the simplest tricks get the best reactions, I PERFORM them more often, for the pleasure of the viewers.
Whose perspective of magic is correct? The sleight-of-hand lover artist's or the magic-lover viewer's? I don't think there's a correct answer.
I just wanted to put these thoughts out there. That there is a balance we need to figure out between performing impossible-looking magic and impossible-looking sleights, and I think both are beautiful in their respective ways.
What do you think? Artists vs Viewers, is there really a winner, somebody who's more 'correct'?
However, it's my opinion that the actual Art of magic and the magic that is performed, are two different things.
Imagine I were to see the Monalisa, or the Last Supper. When I see these paintings, as somebody who doesn't really understand the Art of painting on deeper levels, I'd think of (in order):-
1) The controversies related to those paintings.
2) Admire the artist for being brave enough to make such bold paintings and statements.
3) Maybe admire the composition of the paintings, the colours used and mixed.
4) Start thinking about how brilliant even things made by mere humans can be if enough thought is put into it.
That's about it. I wouldn't be able to admire the brush strokes, or be struck in wonder about how much effort was put into actually taking the colours and using them the way they have been used.
If we put this in the perspective of magic, I can like a well-scripted ACR, or an impossible-looking Cups and Balls routine. But this admiration exists only on the surface, and if at all the magician is proficient enough, it sparks thoughts and emotions within the viewer. All of this is beautiful. BUT...
On an artistic level, I will still love a very difficult colour change or concealment, which might achieve something that CAN be done with a much simpler sleight too, but I'll love the technique used, I repeat, on an artistic level. There's something to be said for executing sleights beautifully.
I repeat, magic is not about that and I understand. A lot of performers today deliberately do sleights in a way that glorifies the beauty of the sleight itself, not so much the final effect (just look through Instagram), and they are low-key shunned for that.
My point is that they shouldn't be. If that's the magic they think is the magic to be PERFORMED however, they can be criticised for missing the entire point of 'Magic' happening, but if they just share it for the love of the art, for the love of sleight-of-hand, I don't think they should be reprimanded.
There's a place for an effect where the card changes when it looks as if nothing happened except the wave of a hand, and an effect where it's clear that the hand did something which made the card change, yet it's possible to appreciate the work put behind in achieving the sleight. Mind that these two realms are different, that showing off your move-monkey-self isn't really what would create a 'real and magic' environment for the audience but well, it depends on what my definition of magic is, right?
As an artist, a difficult sleight satisfies me so much more when executed well. However (as frustrating as it is), since often the simplest tricks get the best reactions, I PERFORM them more often, for the pleasure of the viewers.
Whose perspective of magic is correct? The sleight-of-hand lover artist's or the magic-lover viewer's? I don't think there's a correct answer.
I just wanted to put these thoughts out there. That there is a balance we need to figure out between performing impossible-looking magic and impossible-looking sleights, and I think both are beautiful in their respective ways.
What do you think? Artists vs Viewers, is there really a winner, somebody who's more 'correct'?