9 Illusion R
"Art is a lie that makes us realise truth." Pablo Picasso
KEY WORDS
Fantasy
Stories
Misconception
Realities
Imagination
Paradox
VIDEO
MEANING
All realities are an illusion seen from a specific perspective. Truth is subjective and the boundaries between all things are illusions. As long as everything around us behaves as we expect them to, we are blind to their inherent contradictions. Once those imaginary rules start to be bent or broken, we become aware of the many infinite possibilities that we would have missed. To grow, you may need to shatter some illusions and reach into the infinite.
There is only one illusion - the false belief that any one thing is ever separate and isolated from any other. All things are one, and all things are connected. It is sometimes more convenient to believe that some actions have no consequences. Examine the network of choices and coincidences which led to this precise moment, and look forward to the many infinite ripples that todays choices will have. All we can do is our best.
OBJECTS
Butterfly (Earth) Metamorphosis. Total transformation isn't just possible, it's natural.
Bird (Air) Flight and freedom is achieved by cooperating with invisible natural forces.
Star (Light) A star brings inspiration, renewed hope, and guidance through the night.
Mask (Dark) We all wear many masks, but which version is the truth?
Clock (Fire) Time is an illusion. We create it by thinking about the past and future, but only the now is real.
Bottle (Water) Are the reasons that we protect and hide things in bottles valid? Should we be letting the truth out?
THE MAGIC SEAL
THE ART
Night. The darknesses are torn apart by a lamp. The street is a desert, a bottle is rolling on the pavement clinking. An old fashioned shop shines its light in front of us. It is a Victorian shop, with the typical chess-board tiles in front of the door and huge windows. It is a special place, the badge is decorated with the symbol of The Eye and a single word is written in dark letters: Oracolarium.
It is a magic place, but we do not know exactly how... on display we can see a pendulum clock, a mask and a star... What are they selling in this strange place, and why, in its window, do we see a poster that multiplies the same scene ad infinitum, but changing slightly every time?
Something has happened or is about to happen... Everything is suspended in a strange tension. The night is vibrating, nervously. Everything in this card is inspired by London: the gas lamp, the shop, the brick facade of the house... I wanted to give the card a deep sense of mystery and magic and which city is more magical and mysterious than London? :)
AUGMENTED REALITY
In Illusion everything comes to life: the street lamps start to dance while the shop becomes a gigantic spider running on his web. Everything is different from what we see in the card, showing its real nature, or maybe an illusion, another mask to veil the reality, their real essence. Is the shop-spider a monster? It is dangerous?
Maybe it is an illusion on the web of our thoughts! Everything here is hiding itself while revealing!
Aren't we all an Illusion? :)
THE MUSE
Ben Hart is a magician and magic inventor seen on stages and private parties and television screens around the world. His unique blend of baffling illusions and compelling story-telling takes audiences to places they believed were impossible. Conjuring magic from simple things like an egg, a grain of rice, a glass of water, Hart is living proof that illusions can bring wonder, delight and amazement into our lives. Sometimes it is vital for us to let go of our firm grasp on reality for a moment to discover that there's so much more to life. Here we see him stepping out of his Wunderkammer, but look closer and you'll see rooms within rooms within rooms.
It takes courage to dream big, and sometimes we need to take a leap of faith, because illusions can help us to take steps we wouldn't otherwise have believed possible. We are so proud to work with Ben Hart to bring to life the Illusion card.
Venture into Ben Hart's magical world here: www.BenHartMagic.com
THE MUSIC
Illusions usually begin with us being lulled into a false sense of security- a lullaby played by a clockwork music box. Clouds are gathering. A storm is coming - can you sense it? The illusion is gaining momentum a deafening rumble of thunder and a blinding flash of lightning release the energy from the heavens onto the earth. Our illusions can nourish us, like rainfall, but we must be careful not to be swept away by the monsoon. The familiar somehow starts to feel dark - perhaps even sinister or dangerous, but the rain washes away the dust, and when the storm has passed, vibrant colours have been revealed.
LINKS TO GO DEEPER
We adore Patrick Mauriès book "Cabinets of Curiosities" which follows the history of Wunderkammers. Published by Thames & Hudson. Click here for more information.
Click the following link to search for more examples of the "Droste Effect": Google Images of Droste Effect