Everyone needs a little magic in their life, no? Well, The Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H Street) is bringing you two chances to be captivated on March 22, with two performances of Max Major's "Think: An Evening of Mind Reading and Magic".
March 22 at 6:00 PM & 9:00 PM
After you've gotten a glimpse at what the show entails in the video above, are you interested in checking it out?“BEST ONE PERSON SHOW IN WASHINGTON DC” -CBS
After fifteen consecutive weeks of sold-out shows and selling over 5000 tickets to “THINK: An Evening of Mind Reading and Magic”, Max Major, twice named DC’s Best Performance Artist by the Washington City Paper, is bringing his critically acclaimed show to The Atlas Performing Arts Center. In this 90 min show, magician Max Major will use a combination of magic, psychology, hypnosis and suggestion to demonstrate the untapped powers of the mind.
Among the show’s highlights, Major will employ his uncanny understanding of body language to decode the thoughts of audience members, assume the role of a human lie detector, and even, and subject himself to extreme physical harm in a feat of mind over body.
Get Tickets to Max Major’s THINK: An Evening of Mind Reading and Magic
REVIEWS AND REACTIONS
“One of the top performers in the nation!” –News Channel 8
“An Enchanting Evening” –DC Magazine
“Charismatic, Entertaining, and Mystifying” –Washington Times
“A Best Bet” –The Washington Post
20 comments:
i am not in any way motivated to see a magician. Atlas is supposed to be a performing arts center. why is this magician doing card tricks there? how is this art?
Thanks! I got tickets for me and my brother! Sounds like good fun, and I always support Atlas!
Anon 12:56 what have you seen at the Atlas? Pretty sure they offer a variety of performing arts for all kinds of tastes. Music, dance theatre. And just because you don't think magic is a performing art someone does.
http://atlasarts.org/
i know you mean well, anon 1:50.
but i have a feeling you won't be heard by the illiterate that commented at 12:56.
everyone knows that magic is the art of illusion.
the upside is that we have a ding dong of the day for this particular FT post!
i think everyone knows that magic involves illusory techniques, and its practicioners are skilled in their techniques. however, magic is not beautiful. art is beautiful. magic goes for an audience that wants to be wow'd and entertained. as does artists who practice their art. however artists aim for beauty. if you attend a variety of performances outside of performing arts that doesn't make magic an art. just cause you like magic doesn't make it an art. just cause it's offered in a performing arts venue doesn't make it an art.
ooohh... looks like we got an argument between bros (poo poo and anon 1:50) and an artist (anon 12:56)
i think someone once said that "art" lies in the eye of the beholder. as such, i assume that 1) you don't understand that concept, and 2) your concept of art is far from multidimensional.
WINNING!
someone once said that beauty lies in the eyes or eye of the beholder, but eventhough art must contain beauty, anything that can be subjectively described or objectively classified as beautiful doesn't make it art.
an example... perhaps your beer pong table is beautiful to you to all of humanity that doesn't make it art
it's obvious from my previous comments that my concept of art is not inclusive
well, i'm just saying. search for "beer pong art" on etsy, and there are folks making a living off of said "art".
as is the magician.
and atlas.
etc.
but then again, i don't really consider warhol's stuff art either. so at least we're in agreement there.
Pretty sure it is not a requirement of art to be "beautiful."
The Atlas presents lots of "art" and I hope you have attended something and that your concern over the magic comes from a stakeholder in the future of the Atlas and not just another curmudgeon on the internet.
if a mode, genre, accumulation of expression is not beautiful, how can it be art?
why do you hope that I attended events at the Atlas to show that magic is not an art form?
yes, I am concerned about the Atlas
http://atlasarts.org/get-involved/individual-support/
So. Why is this Art?
People respond emotionally and intellectually to visual images, often recognizing characteristics that make a something seem beautiful without even thinking about it. Philosophers call the reaction to an appealing quality an aesthetic response. Aesthetic responses may vary from person to person, and individuals often have different ideas about what makes an artwork beautiful. Some people respond to certain subjects because they associate them with pleasure. Others may find a particular combination of lines, colors, and shapes appealing without understanding the meaning of the artwork.
In the 1700s and 1800s, European philosophers and art schools (called academies) developed formulas to analyze and create beautiful works of art. Understanding compositional elements such as balance, unity, rhythm, and harmony became a formula to guide artists as they created works. By following these rules, they could learn to produce beautiful artworks that many so-called untrained artists could not.
Judged by these traditional standards, many contemporary artworks would not be described as beautiful or pleasurable. Then why are they considered art? Contemporary artists often want viewers to think about art in a different way, beyond the traditional rules of beauty. For many, it is more important that the works are interesting, thought-provoking, and challenging.
yes, contemporary artists whether it be visual arts, theatre, new music have different requirements for beautiful. Perhaps at the time of earlier art, those artists too aimed at creating things that would be considered interesting, thought-provoking, and challenging. Yet, contemporary visual art or earlier visual art is still within the genre of visual art; contemporary theatre or earlier theatre is still within the genre of theatre; new music or classical music is still within the genre of classical music. The aim is beauty.
People may not like particular pieces of contemporary art whatever art form they may be. It may be considered bad art, but it's still art.
People may have fun at magic shows, and may even come to love particular magicians perform, but the entire genre of magic is not art.
Anonymous - while it may be fair to say that not ALL magic shows are art - this article in particular is about a specific show (my show) - if you haven't seen my performance then your comment is baseless. I understand that you might not like "magic shows", however its unfair to judge all performances in the genre by your opinion of a single performance. This would be like saying "i hate comedy" after seeing a performance by a single comic at an open mic - or to your point, that comedy isn't an art.
Max,
i may or may not enjoy your show. my enjoyment of your show or of a particular show or of many particular magic shows is irrelevant as to whether the entire genre of magic can be classified as art. at no point did I ever imply a particular leads into a general.
i do respect performances that entertain audiences. these non-artistic performances do require a great deal of practice and skill. some are even life threatening such as a lion tamer's interactions with a lion. and it looks like you do something with a staple gun to your body.
the article is indeed about your show. however the article is part of a blog, and this blog is about the community. the center of the community is the Atlas Performing Arts Center. my objection to the Atlas hosting your performance is not aimed at you or your performance. it's about whether non- artistic performances belong in the Atlas, and my claim is that they don't as magic is not art.
i think you do have an audience, and perhaps it will grow. however, my point is that magic doesn't belong in a performing arts center as it is entertainment but not art. my commentary is not so much a complaint about you or other magicians as it is a concern with the direction of the Atlas as it approved to host a magic show.
Anonymous @ 12:17
The Oxford English dictionary disagrees with you, re: whether magic is art.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/art?q=art
First definition (arguably)
Works produced by human creative skill and imagination
and
Fourth definition (definitely):
A skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice
___
The optical illusaions created by Max Major are indeed "works produced by human creative skill and imagination". And it is certainly a skill that Major "produced by human creative skill and imagination".
Since the Oxford English Dictionary is more of an authority on the definition of words than you are, I believe you owe Max Major an apology.
Alan,
By that definition lion taming in a circus is an art. Your defense of magic as an art via by dictionary is juvenile. My commentary is not aimed at Max. Furthermore, in regards to you as one of the blog hosts asking me to apologize for rational commentary is inappropriate.
2:45,
Art is a highly subjective thing.
Here's one thing that's certain & not subjective, Alan is a contributing writer, not a "blog host." That's my job, and I don't particularly care one way or the other whether you think a magic show is art. If you want to see changes in programming at the Atlas, talk to them. I assure that they are eager to listen.
Inked,
I will consider that course of action among others. It is likely they are eager to listen as Frozen Tropics is eager to listen, I hope, to opinions on what's going on at the Atlas.
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