Illusionists

Doug Henning, my favorite 70’s magician, has nothing on current illusionists. It’s the kind of a craft that simply continues to advance in it’s intensity, magnitude and wonderment. There are so many. Mainstream guys like David Copperfield, Doug Henning and Steven Diamond. Edgy guys like Criss Angel, David Blaine and Penn & Teller. All designed to amaze and awe you into thinking they are beyond ordinary. Magic has enthralled and frightened people from the beginning of time. We like to be fooled. We want to be fooled. Why is that? Do we simply want to believe in the unlikely so badly that we’re willing to risk reason and logic to make it so?

But the world has other illusionists, too. One of my favorite lesser known guys is Julian Beever. Okay, so he's really more of an artist. But what a cool artist. His illusions are of a different variety. If you’re connected to the internet than you’ve likely seen his work as the web is his favorite tool for publicity. He’s no fool, is he? He’s the “Sidewalk Artist” guy whose works have been emailed all over the world. Beever, in fact, creates his art for the internet as it’s the optimum way to view it…through the lens as a photo. His artwork, when looked at live and on the street (which is his canvas), is extremely difficult to interpret. It’s elongated and surreal and often difficult to make out. But he's drawing for the camera. His art is called “anamorphic illusions”. He draws specifically to produce an optical illusion.

It was a chance discovery when he tried his first one 20 years ago, and though his image wasn’t in correct proportion, he soon realized that this sort of imagery was unique since no one else was producing it. ‘What a great way to sell some work’, he thought. Just a publicity stunt to help sell his real work And it’s painstaking work, too. Work that, he admits, he won't be able to keep up with much longer due to the physical strain. He knows what he wants to see in his mind, but unlike most other artists who paint for the canvas, he is drawing for the camera. This requires constant viewing through the lens itself to ensure his image is coming together in the right way. It’s a lot of bending, kneeling and walking back and forth from the artwork to the camera to get his desired effect.

It’s nothing much to look at from the people walking down the street who happen upon him. But there is no doubt that when they get back to the office and someone sends them his photos after it's been posted on the internet, they are awestruck at his talent, imagination and potential wizardry. It’s uncanny. Take a look at this guy’s work and I think you’ll agree.