I see a lot of "Modern Arts" for sale lately all over the 'net. This leads me to think that the illusion is less than the builders/owners expected.

What do you guys think ... why are these supposedly great illusions being sold faster than fries ad McDonald's?

Alas, Jim made detailed plans available for a great vertical sawing. He didn't include talent or rehearsal time in his book, however.

Magicians fall in love with shiny new ideas. They build them, buy them, steal them, and covet the secrets. They show their new "precious" to the local club, and glad-hand each other for their newest treasures.

When they then perform the prop (notice I didn't say "the effect" - they perform the prop) at the annual club show after 2 quick rehearsals in the garage, it doesn't leave the audience faint in rapture. Clearly those unwashed locals don't appreciate the ingenious method that is invisible to them. I mean, look at how pretty that box is!

So it's time for Modern Art to go up for sale, and spend the proceeds on the next prop, and another unpracticed prop is put in line for next year's show.

-----

Or, to answer it a different way, I see a lot more substitution trunks for sale. Does that lead you to think it is less than the builders/owners expected?

I'd argue the Modern Art is a greater visual, but requires more talent to perform in an entertaining way. YMMV.

--- Guy

I have to agree completely with the post above.
it is true that a lot of people will perform this badly and think it is the prop that has let them down.

I think modern art is a brilliant illusion if presented correctly! Dave Womach has a nice version on his promo video on his web site.

Check it out but don't just try and copy it!

Jon

I wonder if there are a lot of people building this thing without the proper trial-and-error to fit their assistant. I am so wary of many of the "home made" props up for sale. Granted, there are a lot of home-made sub trunks that are very good, as are tipover trunks and Super-X's. But, the Modern Art is a bit more complex, and I was curious as to whether this contributes to the glut.

That could be the case but I would tend to agree with the others in the posts above. All too often a magician will buy/ build a prop just thinking this will be the effect that will launch me to stardom, and they never really give the prop/ trick the due respect it truely deserves by practicing it to perfection. At our local club each year they hold an auction and you just would be amazed how many great pieces end up for sale because they " just didn't work" for the magician who only tried it 2-3 times and expected immediate results. Modern Art is a great peice and while we don't own one ( we have other pieces that are similar) I have seen one done in a very well rehearsed and completly practiced to perfection.

It always amazes me how many Magicians think that buying a particular effect will make their career. There's WORK involved. Buying/building the prop is merely the beginning.

To me, illusions are like musical instruments. Owning a violin don't make you Yasha Heifetz.

(Oddly enough, I've never met a Juggler who thought about props the way many Magicians do.)

Dan Wolfe, aka. "The Amazing EARL"

I agree with Dan. There is a lot more to performing illusions or any effect for that matter than just owning the prop.

MDS

Modern Art is a fairly complex Illusion to build right. There are a number of key things that make the prop deceptive that a lot of homebuilders neglect to include, to make the job easier.

If built right (and performed well), Modern Art is a great Illusion. I agree with those statements made above that it's the performance that makes it breaks it.

Any prop can fail to get a good response. You could have the latest and greatest Illusion and it can be a flop if done badly.

Michael Berends

To answer your question, in my opinion it's a GREAT illusion. I do, however, agree with the other posts. If not built right you'll loose some of the little things you need. and again if not done right it simply won't get the reaction it deserves. This can be said about anything. Several years ago when I was stationed in Germany I attended a convention where I saw the Blaney Ladder Levitaion done so poorly that I heard people talking about how it was done (these were non magicians) so someone took one of the best suspensions and tiped the workings simply by doing it poorly with what looked like NO practice whatsoever. I can only hope that person saw a tape of his own performance and learned from his mistake.
Enjoy!!
Joe

One on the Magic Auction doesn't look convincing but Morgan (John Bundy & Morgan) is very convincing.

I agree with the above posts but would also state that we should open this up wider to other props or illusions that are "shiny". Most magicians have no clue what fits them. They don't take the time to do the proper research to find out if they are better fitted for comedy magic or drama. We as magicians need to start doing some other reading besides magic books. Go pick up a book on acting or theatrical lighting or history. It's always amazing how these can all help to add that special spark to that trick. Jeff Foxworthy once said that "rednecks are attracted to shiny things. UFO's, beer cans and fishing lures. If it shines their attracted." I would have to put magicians in the same class as rednecks for this reason.


Magically,

Robert Long

It's all about the performance. Bottom line.

Modern Art is a great illusion and should be given the care it deserves by having it built by a qualified illusion builder .

I looked up Dave Womach's version on his web site . Actually, I think maybe his presentation almost tips the method , by his posture when the top half of the cabinet opens and he leans forward . I think that the person in the cabinet should remain upright and somewhat "stiff" , as if their body has been divided . When he does the lean forward it makes it possible for the astute viewer to draw a visual line from the point he is leaning from down the diagonal where his feet are positioned and it all suddenly becomes clear what is going on. The optical illusion is greatly weakened .

Dave Womach is a great magician and I admire his energy and style on almost all of his other presentations , but the presentation on Modern Art doesn't work at the point where he leans forward out of the cabinet.

Or am I the only one that sees this ?

(on the other hand, I think his touch of having his leg move and flex as he taps his toes is brilliant. )

Click here to view/download attached file.

The Above PDF file did not work right

Sorry. I meant to post a jpeg image , not PDF .

Anyway, the Café shrinks the image so small it's hard to see .

Click here to view attached image.

So, what's the bottom line: Are these good illusions that are disappointing due to poor presentation so they are sold, or are they pieces of garbage that were poorly build AND presented, so they were sold?

One can easily spot a poorly made Zig Zag -- it's a lot tougher with this prop.

BTW, the Casket version with Morgan is brilliant. Any idea who built it?

It could very well be both. I have myself bought a Bill Smith prop which the seller sold, because it was so "poorly made that people hate". Guess again...

Like pointed out, it IS a difficult illusion to build so not every joe can just go to his carage and do it.

What also could have effect here is that the blueprint is so readily available, which is quite tempting as we're talking about a relatively new creation here by Jim.

The casket version is REALLY brilliant, I love it-great thinking there!

Thank you all for the nice comments on our casket modern art. I have to compliment John on it as well, it was all him. He took one look at the Modern art and said "That thing looks like a coffin..." and that's all it took...he did the art design, then redsigned the illusion to make the toe pincher style coffin work and we had it built.
We call it "The Vampire Hunter" because, as you all know, once you've killed a vampire you must cut-up the body so that it can't return to walk the earth again.

Thanks again
Morgan

I looked this topic up to post in another topic where someone had asked about the modern art, and I remembered one thing that bugs me about how the Modern Art is often performed. When an assistant is being used, she is often just along for the ride, and does not do much to add to the illusion. I have seen some preformances where she moves less than an assistant does in a Zig-Zag illusion, where they have lots less of the body to show! Now, I know there are limits on the leg movement, but you have a lot that you can do with on the top half. The illusion group Magic Unlimited in Holland http://kazan.tros.nl/ have done the right thing with the illusion, and they have used the model that is designed for one person, giving the assistant room to move her arms out the sides.

Yeah, but doesn't overdoing the movement with the top half rather tip the fact that bottom half, well, isn't moving?