Ricky Jay, Glenn Ligon, and others
The Magic Magic Book
1995
Scroll
- Author: Ricky Jay
- Artist: Glenn Ligon
- Artist: Vija Celmins
- Artist: Jane Hammond
- Artist: William Wegman
- Artist: Justen Ladda
- Artist: Philip Taaffe
- Publisher: Library Fellows of the Whitney Museum of American Art
- Editor: May Castleberry
- Printer (relief prints and letterpress): Patrick Reagh
- Printer (relief print and letterpress): Leslie Miller
- Printer (offset lithographs): Stinehour Press
The Magic Magic Book
1995
Physical Qualities
Two bound volumes with offset color lithographs, relief prints and letterpress, case with embossing, Book (vol. 1): 250 x 204 x 13 mm. (9 13/16 x 8 1/16 x 1/2 in.)
Book (vol. 2): 250 x 204 x 17 mm. (9 13/16 x 8 1/16 x 11/16 in.)
Case: 269 x 241 x 42 mm. (10 9/16 x 9 1/2 x 1 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
Print & Drawing Society Fund, with proceeds derived from the 1995 Contemporary Print Fair
Object Number
1995.133a-b
"The Magic Magic Book" takes the form of trick books that have been used by magicians since the 16th century. In this set, housed in Justen Ladda’s case, one volume of text provides the background and history of the magic book, while the other volume is a “blow book” (the magic book itself) with images by six contemporary artists and brief instructions in several languages explaining how the book should be used. If you flip through the pages while holding certain tabs—or even turn the book in various directions—different sets of illustrations will appear. The images, inspired by the theme of magic and trickery, include Glenn Ligon’s “invisible man,” and William Wegman’s dogs as magician’s assistants.
Whitney Museum of American Art
Rena Hoisington, BMA, "Off the Shelf: Modern and Contemporary Artists' Books," May Gallery, March 12 - June 25, 2017.
Inscribed: Colophon page, graphite, '277'. Opposite page, graphite, 'J. Hammond', 'P. Taaffe', 'William Wegman', 'Glenn Ligon', 'V. Celmins', 'Justen Ladda'
