Comments on: Is magic art? http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 19:19:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: togetherless http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1628285 togetherless Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1628285 i watched this whole thing, and now I can't find my wallet or my keys! i watched this whole thing, and now I can’t find my wallet or my keys!

]]> By: David Rowyn http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1628218 David Rowyn Tue, 15 Jan 2013 02:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1628218 I wrote a little post on the subject a couple of years ago. If you're interested in reading a lot of words, here's a link: http://david-rowyn.tumblr.com/post/26040764122/maximus-in-minimis I wrote a little post on the subject a couple of years ago. If you’re interested in reading a lot of words, here’s a link: http://david-rowyn.tumblr.com/post/26040764122/maximus-in-minimis

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1628079 timquinn Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1628079 Geez, it's already magic, what do you want? Geez, it’s already magic, what do you want?

]]> By: endrest http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1628046 endrest Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1628046  Now, David Copperfield never impressed me, but what's up with that Dynamo?? That looks like he's got straight-up Star Trek-tech...is it really that easy to put someone's iphone into a bottle?? OR walk through glass?  Now, David Copperfield never impressed me, but what’s up with that Dynamo?? That looks like he’s got straight-up Star Trek-tech…is it really that easy to put someone’s iphone into a bottle?? OR walk through glass?

]]> By: endrest http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1628040 endrest Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1628040 While everyone debates whether magic is art, I have no doubt that art is magic. I couldn't imagine life without it. While everyone debates whether magic is art, I have no doubt that art is magic. I couldn’t imagine life without it.

]]> By: Listener43 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627848 Listener43 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627848  Oh ... you mean the black art?  Oh … you mean the black art?

]]> By: SedanChair http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627835 SedanChair Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627835 Nope, until magicians reveal their secrets I'll remain convinced it's witchcraft Nope, until magicians reveal their secrets I’ll remain convinced it’s witchcraft

]]> By: TooGoodToCheck http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627818 TooGoodToCheck Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627818  Possible answers to "Is X art?", for any X  - Maybe.  - but what truly is Art?  - If I say yes, can we stop talking about it?  - only if I personally had some experiences of deep personal significance with X, preferably when I was at a strongly impressionable age  - you kids get off my lawn!  Possible answers to “Is X art?”, for any X

 - Maybe.
 - but what truly is Art?
 - If I say yes, can we stop talking about it?
 - only if I personally had some experiences of deep personal significance with X, preferably when I was at a strongly impressionable age
 - you kids get off my lawn!

]]> By: Jeremy Kalgreen http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627799 Jeremy Kalgreen Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627799 These "Is X art" questions are tough, because a lot of time we want to apply a value judgment to the idea of capital "A" Art. So if we say X is art then we are saying X is good or valuable. But you can be "Art" and still be bad, useless, uninspired. In this case it is tough, I think magic can be art, and other times it can simply be commerce. Even then much of the magic that I would qualify as Art would still be what I'd consider bad art, art that doesn't have anything new to say or isn't trying to communicate much of anything at all.     These “Is X art” questions are tough, because a lot of time we want to apply a value judgment to the idea of capital “A” Art. So if we say X is art then we are saying X is good or valuable. But you can be “Art” and still be bad, useless, uninspired. In this case it is tough, I think magic can be art, and other times it can simply be commerce. Even then much of the magic that I would qualify as Art would still be what I’d consider bad art, art that doesn’t have anything new to say or isn’t trying to communicate much of anything at all.    

]]> By: Fnordius http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627768 Fnordius Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627768 It is so simple that I am surprised that this question is even being asked. OF COURSE magic is art. It is a highly specialised form of performance art, but still art. Arguing about this is not an argument about magic, but about art and how people argue about whether this or that picture or music is art or not. It is so simple that I am surprised that this question is even being asked. OF COURSE magic is art. It is a highly specialised form of performance art, but still art. Arguing about this is not an argument about magic, but about art and how people argue about whether this or that picture or music is art or not.

]]> By: Louis Shapiro http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627742 Louis Shapiro Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627742 Actually, that "law" came from Theodore Sturgeon. Actually, that “law” came from Theodore Sturgeon.

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627721 oasisob1 Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627721 Some actual magic might have made this video into art. But I have to be honest, I didn't watch it all the way through, so maybe there was some in the last minute? Some actual magic might have made this video into art. But I have to be honest, I didn’t watch it all the way through, so maybe there was some in the last minute?

]]> By: theophrastvs http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627717 theophrastvs Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627717 having associated with more than my share of art and art history majors, i have been brow-beat into accepting:  "<i>any</i> creation whose purpose is to elicit a thoughtful or emotive introspection is 'art'".  therefore (good) magic, inspiring mostly "wow, cool, how did they do that?!" is art, selah.   (note:  a dental visit is not art because it wasn't <i>intended</i> to have that emotional response ...maybe.  "who's doing the intending? and can the intention be secondary?"  -sigh-) having associated with more than my share of art and art history majors, i have been brow-beat into accepting:  “any creation whose purpose is to elicit a thoughtful or emotive introspection is ‘art’”.  therefore (good) magic, inspiring mostly “wow, cool, how did they do that?!” is art, selah.   (note:  a dental visit is not art because it wasn’t intended to have that emotional response …maybe.  “who’s doing the intending? and can the intention be secondary?”  -sigh-)

]]> By: technogeekagain http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627708 technogeekagain Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627708  ((And I'd argue that the occasional ad rises to the level of "art". But see Clarke's Law again.))  ((And I’d argue that the occasional ad rises to the level of “art”. But see Clarke’s Law again.))

]]> By: technogeekagain http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627707 technogeekagain Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627707 (Is music art? Not always; consider advertising jingles. And some music that is art isn't good art, or -- somewhat different thing -- isn't recognized as good art. Ditto acting, ditto dance, ditto other "performance arts". Including magic. I don't quite get why that should seem surprising, unless one has never considered the generalization before.) (Is music art? Not always; consider advertising jingles. And some music that is art isn’t good art, or — somewhat different thing — isn’t recognized as good art. Ditto acting, ditto dance, ditto other “performance arts”. Including magic. I don’t quite get why that should seem surprising, unless one has never considered the generalization before.)

]]> By: technogeekagain http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627703 technogeekagain Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627703 "90% of science fiction -- of anything -- is crap." -- Arthur C. Clarke. Magic is certainly a craft. Whether a particular craftsman's work is "art" or not is a matter of their intent and of the audience's reaction. “90% of science fiction — of anything — is crap.” — Arthur C. Clarke.

Magic is certainly a craft. Whether a particular craftsman’s work is “art” or not is a matter of their intent and of the audience’s reaction.

]]> By: Fang Xianfu http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627700 Fang Xianfu Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627700 These conversations about "is this art?" or "can this be art?" are pretty baffling to me, really. The same question is often asked about video games. It seems like a medium of expression is only allowed to be unequivocally or uncontroversially "art" once it's past a certain age, like it goes through some mysterious rite of passage when it reaches 200 and emerges from the woods a man, newspaper critic's carcass across its shoulders. But I do love magic, so hopefully this series goes in a good direction :) These conversations about “is this art?” or “can this be art?” are pretty baffling to me, really. The same question is often asked about video games. It seems like a medium of expression is only allowed to be unequivocally or uncontroversially “art” once it’s past a certain age, like it goes through some mysterious rite of passage when it reaches 200 and emerges from the woods a man, newspaper critic’s carcass across its shoulders.

But I do love magic, so hopefully this series goes in a good direction :)

]]> By: robertdee http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627697 robertdee Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627697 One of the defining characteristics of being an artist is that other people want to sleep with you, so I would say no. One of the defining characteristics of being an artist is that other people want to sleep with you, so I would say no.

]]> By: Magnus Redin http://boingboing.net/2013/01/14/is-magic-art.html#comment-1627678 Magnus Redin Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=205638#comment-1627678 Is writing art? Sometimes it is, most of the time its crap. Is writing art? Sometimes it is, most of the time its crap.

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