Presto! Illusions is almost here

Prepare to be shocked and amazed by grand illusions, death-defying acts and daring escapes. At the intersection of the performance art of magicians and the art of advertising comes Illusions: The Art of Magic. See all the magic greats in our exhibition coming to the Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavilion on Level 2 this Saturday, February 22.

At the peak of what came to be known as the Golden Age of Magic, Harry Keller, Howard Thurston and Harry Houdini among many others were mastering the art of magic to impress audiences. They were among the first artists to embark on international tours. But it wasn't just by chance they packed crowded venues and garnered world acclaim; it took the magical combination of advertising posters with playful and phantasmagoric imagery paired with the magicians’ command of the stage to conjure up their fame.

Illusions: The Art of Magic showcases magnificent posters created for leading magicians from the late 1800s well into the 1900s. Featuring more than 55 colourful and stylized posters from the Allan Slaight Collection of the McCord Museum in Montreal, the exhibition celebrates the triumphant immortalization of magicians in the Golden Age. But there’s more than meets the eye in this exhibition. These eye-catching posters will be on view alongside photographs, documents and ephemera. Illusions will also feature archival projections showcasing iconic illusions, and the Toronto Magic Company will offer you the chance to experience the art of magic through live magic shows in the exhibition from 2 to 4 pm daily.

And we’ve got even more tricks up our sleeves during the run of the exhibition. Join David Ben, conjuror, historian of magic and guest curator of Illusions for a fascinating talk about The Golden Age of Magic on Wednesday, February 26. Other events include a talk with magician Julie Eng on March 11 and a Curator’s Talk on April 17 with Julian Cox, AGO’s Deputy Director & Chief Curator. Related film screenings will also be running throughout the exhibition, including Haldane of the Secret Service on March 4 and 7, The Man From Beyond on March 6 and Houdini on March 18.

Seeing is believing! Coming to Level 2 in the Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavilion on February 22, Illusions: The Art of Magic is free for AGO Members, AGO Annual Pass holders and visitors 25 years and under.