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The Creative Contribution of Magic - Macro Tempeset
Magic is naturally a creative activity. Magicians can bring new things to the table in terms of innovation and creative collaborations. Those who get involved in magic tend to have a problem-solving mentality. We want to know how things work and how to take something apart and rearrange it to do what we want it to do, rather than what it's expected to do. Magicians are inventors, but with one key difference; we are not limited by current technology or the laws of nature. Magic allows us to think outside the boundaries of reality. In the mid-1960s, Black and Decker designed a tool for NASA's Apollo moon program, a cordless rotary hammer drill that could extract rock samples from the surface of the moon. This invention came about because of a problem that needed to be solved; NASA needed a zero-impact wrench that could spin bolts in zero gravity without spinning the astronaut. In magic, we try to think out of this world solutions to create an illusion, just like NASA did which led to all modern power tools. The element of illusion allows us to create things that are otherwise impossible, whether it's a magic trick, a computer game, a flight simulator, or an automaton. In 1850, Robert-Houdin, a French magician and illusionist who is considered by many to be the father of modern magic. He was born in 1805 and began his career as a clockmaker. He is known for his use of technology in his illusions, such as the "Telephone of the Dead" and the "Light and Heavy Chest." He also installed electric lighting, electronic gates, and even came up with a burglar alarm in his home long before they were available to the general public. He's also credited with inventing one of the first incandescent light bulbs.
In the art of magic this pattern has continued. Magicians have used radios and communication devices to read people's minds, and now we have cellphones. The first smart home to exist was a magic trick - a door that opens by itself was an electromagnet magic effect. Now, every grocery store has it. Magicians are at the forefront of creating new innovations that eventually become mainstream. Advances in technology will turn illusion into reality, just as Robert-Houdin foreshadowed the advancing robotics. Magic has a lot to offer beyond just entertaining audiences with astonishment. Magic can be created without the need to fool someone. The skillset that a magician has in problem-solving, creating interactive solutions, and visualizing future technologies can be put to use, giving magic a stronger place among artistic teams.
We have learned, we do share now, and it's time for us to collaborate.