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Stories

  • Article

How the magician’s assistant creates the illusion

Without breaking the spell, performer Naomi Paxton reveals the subtle ways the magician’s assistant helps the audience to keep believing.

  • Book extract

The psychology of Ouija

Explore the science behind table tilting and Ouija boards, and discover how the unscrupulous still make money from exploiting the ‘ideomotor’ effect.

  • Article

Do you see what I see?

Is reality actually what you see, or just an elaborate illusion?

  • Article

Is fake news killing fictive art?

Parafictional artists create projects where the imaginary interacts with real life. But the growth of so-called ‘fake news’ is providing a new challenge.

All stories (25)

Images

  • Last week but one, Wednesday, March 15, and Friday, 17, 1826 : M. Henry will have the honour of repeating his third annual entertainment of "Table Talk", under the title of Odd Sayings and Queer Doings, introductory of his novel and astonishing illusions metamorphoses, prestiges, &c. &c.
  • A itinerant medicine vendor demonstrating a deceptive illusion to an audience, he is pretending to burn a man's back and then use ointment to clear up the burns, in order to sell his wares. Etching.
  • The mystery and lore of apparitions : with some account of ghosts, spectres, phantoms and boggarts in early times / by C.J.S. Thompson.
  • Grand philosophical, optical, & mechanical exhibition / by M. de Philipsthal.
  • An optical spinning toy. Coloured lithograph.
  • A tempestuous sea with a man chasing a boat.
  • A cross amidst trees and flames
  • A man hurtles to earth where strange beasts roam and a man's half-devoured skeleton lies.
  • The temptation of Saint Antony. Pastel drawing by W.S.
  • A man riding a donkey deludes himself into believing that he is on a splendid horse. Coloured etching by G. Piattoli, c. 1800.
All images (38)

Catalogue

All works (305)

Events

  • Workshop
  • Youth event

Digital Illusions

The Studio
Past

Part of Saturday Studio

  • Event

Performance by Dr Matthew L Tompkins

Gallery 1
Past

Part of Smoke and Mirrors Live Performances

  • Workshop
  • Youth event

Lights, Camera, Magic!

The Studio
Past

Part of Saturday Studio

All events (5)