Houdini: Art and Magic

Through impossibly daring feats Harry Houdini (1874-1926) captivated audiences worldwide, and his legendary escapes instill awe to this day. In this first exhibition in a major American art museum on the master magician and his lasting influence in visual culture, Houdini: Art and Magic features ... Read more

Through impossibly daring feats Harry Houdini (1874-1926) captivated audiences worldwide, and his legendary escapes instill awe to this day. In this first exhibition in a major American art museum on the master magician and his lasting influence in visual culture, Houdini: Art and Magic features magic apparatus, posters, broadsides, period photographs, archival films, and contemporary art work inspired by the great magician and escape artist. The exhibition reveals how Houdini’s reputation has evolved over time, and how the edgy performances and physical audacity which caused fear, excitement, and apprehension in his audiences at the turn of the twentieth century continue to inspire twenty-first century vanguard artists such as Matthew Barney, Petah Coyne, Jane Hammond, Vik Muniz, Deborah Oropallo, and Raymond Pettibon.