Penny Stamps Lecture Series: Jamy Ian Swiss

"Magic" is a performance art in which the body's role is often underappreciated. "Sleight of hand," "legerdemain," and "prestidigitation" – all terms for performance magic – point to the role of the hand in fooling the mind. And in fact, mastery of sleight of hand requires relentless physical practice comparable to that required to master a musical instrument. But like all performance artists, magicians use their full bodies, both as a property of performance, and in the service of deception and illusion. According to Penn and Teller, master magician Jamy Ian Swiss "makes one understand what a terrifying art form pure sleight of hand can be." But in this original and surprise-laden presentation, Swiss provides a behind-the-scenes view of the ways in which the magician employs the entire body electric to determine what we see.

For more information about this speaker and others, visit the Penny Stamps Distinguished Vistor Series site.