Cabinet Issue No. 26

Cabinet #26

by Tim David (Contributor), Jonathan Allen (Editor & Contributor), Sina Najafi (Editor)

"Secular magic," in the words of historian Simon During, is a category designed to differentiate the activity of the modern stage magician from the classical alchemist or occultist. Yet an appraisal of these non-supernatural forms of magical entertainment nevertheless provides the chance to trace the complex network of social and cultural forms to which secular magic owes a debt--from pioneering theatrical devices, novel approaches to stagecraft, and the harnessing of scientific principles in the service of trickery to modes of discourse and performance that draw heavily upon traditional religious, folkloric or shamanic prototypes. Guest-edited by London artist and critic Jonathan Allen, Cabinet 26 features Allen on magic and warfare; Alexander Nagel on the history of images in magic; Yvonne Chireau on the legendary conjuror "Black Herman" and the connections between African-American stage magic and African religious traditions; and conversations between Simon During and scholar and author Marina Warner, and between artist Sally O'Reilly and Ian Saville, the "Socialist Magician." Also: Amelie Hastie on eating at the movies; George Prochnik on Freud's porcupine; Brian Dillon on Albert Bacon's gesture guide for orators; Tim Davis on the color Olive and; a new Implicasphere insert focused on Stripes.

Paperback

First published August 1, 2007