Toward a Theory of Exposure

Brian Rappert, Gustav Kuhn

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Excited attention towards the disclosure of methods – what is termed ‘exposure’– infuses both popular and practitioners’ portrayals of entertainment magic. As an art associated with ‘doing the impossible’, the disclosure of methods is widely held as ruining the prospects for experiencing astonishment. For all its familiarity, however, exposure is rarely subject to extended consideration in the thoughts and theories of professional magicians. In line with a tradition of conceiving of magic as a form of social interaction constituted through the relations between audiences and performers, this article offers a theorization of exposure; one grounded in empirical research with magicians. Varied notions of ‘boundary work’ are engaged which provide means for doing justice to the nuances of what it means to expose the secrets of magic. As an intervention into ongoing debates about what counts as appropriate conduct, the ultimate aim of the article is to help re-imagine what is at stake in conjuring.
Original languageEnglish
JournalThe Journal of Performance Magic
Volume7
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Oct 2024

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