Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Entertainment & Authenticity


I've never known myself better than stating facts, & this is the time to draw a line between entertainment & authenticity. In the 19th Century, a British Officer wrote in his report about his direct encounter on a theft case up in the Himalayas, where the British colony was in rule. Mistaken an Indian Mystic as the suspect, he threw his axe from behind to stop his uphill progress. That man, with the axe sticking out on his left shoulder, turned towards the officers & explained that he wasn't the one they're after, & explained to the officers the real location of the culprit. Carefully, he took out that Axe, wiped the blood with his white dhoti, & present the service axe back to the Officer. With sense of Guilt, the Officer followed the man up the hills to place under a tree. He saw with his own eyes, the wound made from the axe joining back & healing the area. With gentle smile, the man ask for no apologies & that the officer to proceed finding the culprit. Source: Autobiography of a Yogi, 1950's.

What differentiates a magician is his authenticity. But due to the severe tarnish of a magician's image by these tricksters, magicians have to get a name change. So we call them 'Mystics', while tricksters obtained the trophy of being Magicians. Back in the 1900's, when 'Magicians thrived all around the world, showcase their extra-ordinary, or rather 'supernatural' talents. Innocent people, who don't quite have the intelligence or knowledge fall prey into their live entertainment. The problem commits when people starts asking. See, Magicians were known to tell people that they can't show their secrets to people because it'll spoil the magic. True, but not a fact. The fact is that exposing a magic trick would be the end of one's career, cuz the rest of the world will start asking him about it. So what most will do is to repeat it, but not exactly the same version that you'd expect them to repeat. They know a trick done twice is suicide, so they brush it up a little, make it different, a continuation from the same trick, & focus on entertaining his audiences to the level of intellectual boredom so that everyone end up clapping their hands instead of raising them to ask questions.

Now for an authentic, he can't tell them what it is. If he can heal, he heals. Then he goes away, minding his own business. A Mystic won't other to 'entertain' you, he doesn't need your lousy applause. Every moment he lives his life full of self-fulfillment, that not even a moment you can snatch it away. He doesn't demonstrates his skills because he dont have much. For what he has, nothing in this would could trade it for. That's the authentic mystic, the one that you'll never see him coming, but only knows what he did quite later.

He works for nobody, for hobby's sake, he might visit people who're in need of divine help. So there he'll be, doing his voluntary service. There are many such people exist in the world, they are the forefathers of every major religion groups in this world. Jaina Sufis, Buddhist Monks, Indian Yogis, & many other smaller sects. These guys can put up a show you'll never forget for generations! But amusement is not their interest, which is why they keep their secret skills for the right people for the right time. They are very careful for what they've received, & humble in their everyday lifestyle.

So its time for us to see whats real & whats not. Whats for entertainment & what is authentic ability. How to draw a line when it comes to knowing something beyond your comprehension, not just logic & self-esteem, Im talking about beyond all that, shattering reality & whatever school taught you about.

Know your choices well.






Monday, July 4, 2011

The Death of Authentic Magic


Magic is Dead.

Why? Cuz lets face it, our audiences are becoming more & more skeptical.

Why? Cuz they watch all the exposed magic tricks on TV & Internet.

Why? So that they can fool you on your tricks, just for the fun of it.

Time has certainly changed a lot since those days. From my point of research, there was a time in History that Magic has made an enemy that it shouldn't. That fellow is Harry Houdini, Son of a Bitch in my book. He's a bloody escape artist for crying out loud! If he'd kept his pants up during his demonstration of the art of escape, he'd be alive longer than what History shows us.
Conspiracy theory proves that this man Harry Houdini, professional escape artist & struggling magician tries to expose Working Mediums & Spirit Communicators of those era.

He tried hard exposing them to the public about their fraudulent methods, making their service unusable & thus breaking their rice bowls. He has no right in doing so, when he himself used tricks & sleights to accomplish his 'impossible' demonstrations in public. Speaking of unfair advantage, he have killed the authentic tradition of Robert Houdin, Chung Ling Soo & other real Illusionists. According to me, Harry Houdini's nothing but crap. Because of him, the Magic world of today is struggling.

Let me explain, all of you think magic is suppose to be fun for everyone. NO! Magic is a profession, it aint something every kids should learn & show about. Whether you believe it or not, Magic will still exist without the lame marketing effort of exposing magic tricks to people. All the Magic Shops & people selling magic tricks have made the real people behind the business suffer major downfalls.

Harry Houdini privatize magic to the public, claiming the impossible attempts he does to attract attention. Making thousands out of each gig All fine except one, his death. That funny fucker should've shut his mouth when being challenged by some kids after a gig. But no, he can't do that, he is the Great Magician! He has to be Magician 24/7! So there you go con man, for over bragging your potential!

So there you have it, a dead magician who couldn't keep his mouth shut. But because of him, he has influenced the same breed of people who catches up with where he had left. This is the kind of stupidity that people like them made magic so ugly, no one has any interest left to watch it.

Tell me honestly, if you're a performing magician, how many times on a show you feel your audience is faking their reaction just to please you? Or worst, how many of them reaches out & tries to expose you? Not that they don't know, they're well knowledgeable about your skills! How did that happen? The better question should be, when did that happen?

Because of Harry Houdini, during the 50's, many mediocre magicians feed on the mainstream magic & a whole new industry of Magic was re-born after the Wars. But these guys were humble, they try to revive the authentic magic, which of Robert Houdin heritage, back in New Britain. They are the ones who will strictly showcase their perfected tricks & walk away. Name & fame ain't their priority because they understand the true value of the magic they perform, & they're humble enough to give credit to the tricks rather to themselves. They have their own secret gatherings & private builders & suppliers for their tailored original tricks.

But unfortunately, there are many small class magicians who constantly shows off their stupid half-perfected sleights to public for name & fame, these assholes have tarnished the 60's & 70's, creating more mass production in the magic industry as well as stupid magic schools around the world. They even cataloged the tricks as some products on a supermarket & mail deliver to your home! It has become a business entity! What the fuck? Go sell fruits & nuts man if you wanna make money, why the hell you kill magic for your selfish living?

80's made popular what Harry Houdini in his time would've done, TV. Wide popularity for magic has made TV people hiring magicians to do TV programs. The world now thrives into more magic exposure, as if it is some kind of revolution in progress. But many small time magicians made it big time on TV, before the 90's scheduled in on time for David Copperfield to completely tarnish magic as it was. Thanks to David, the last remaining solo magician, the authentic disciple of classic magic has to abandon the linage if he has to survive at all in magic.

Then there was an alley cat named David Blaine, brought magic where it rightfully belonged, in the streets. I've respect on that man, he has bandaged magic to stop the bleeding, mixing magic & TV appropriately for it to survive the season. But that's a stupid mistake as well, the internet generation was populated & there goes his tricks on youtube & shit. At least that man did something to let magic breath into a new life, but it all goes well until another crackhead named Criss Angel fucking up the mainstream. The more he does his seasons, the more the world gets saturated with unusual expectations. So what he can demonstrate walking on water? If only I can get transparent cylinders along a pool, I can do a hip hop there as well! He & his family & teams fucked up big time on magic, making the rest of the magic community stranded ashore while the magic shop owners making big bucks selling their version of China made tricks to the rest of the world. Speaking of stupidity, TV magicians can never get any royalties on magic shops who gains the leverage on free marketing by them as they cash in big! Funny ain't it?

That's what happen when you think magic is for everyone. I researched magic on my own before I heard about these fuck heads. Now, every country there's some rat claiming they're some sort of magician & doing lame commercial tricks in front of TV. To name a few, they'll be a Taiwanese dumbass named Lu Chen, a Singaporean retard couple called JC Sum & Magic babe Ning, & some sucker named Jay Jay from Australia. There are countless more dumbasses around the world today, copycating modern magic & claiming they're magicians. I've only one word to say to these dime-ass street punks: Congratulations!

Because of you all, you've put the rest of the authentic magicians to shame & distorted. I wonder will you people ever learn about the real art of magic. I'm leaving Ellusionist & Theory11 out from the hatred equation at the moment as they have donated something back to society than just a rush of greed from rags to richess. But their sins will be punished one day for over-hyping what Magic should really be, rather than just marketing the so-called Underground Magic theme to the innocent people worldwide, they know nothing about magic, & you guys just proved that you're the main source through your marketing efforts.

The main source of authentic magic starts with the individual. If he has it, then he is destined to be a magician. If he doesn't have, that certain qualities of a magician, then forget it. Why shovel in food when you know you dont have the stomach for it? Unfortunately, that's the world we live in today, the consumer-based civilization. They've successfully fucked magic up, & we authentics were left to clean up the crap, one shit at a time...





Tuesday, June 7, 2011

My expertise is in Close-Up Magic, the kind that you see it right in front of your eyes. You can interfere or stop me at anytime, I'll still amaze, no doubt!
But just to add variety, I also perform Parlor (small stage), & Stage Magic. All based on audience interaction & practical Stage props.


A typical Close Up show can be catered to:

> Birthday Parties

> Wedding Dinner

> Corporate Functions

> Special Events

> Roadshows

> or anything that has a Walkabout situation, that I can freely roam around the crowd & entertain them very casually so that they're not aware of it.

For Stage Shows, I can render my service to the following:

> Corporate Dinner & Dance Functions

> Big Birthday Parties

> School / Organizational Events

> Roadshows with a center stage

> Event rooms in Hotel (Parlor Magic)

> or any big sets that needed bigger props & arrangements.

All bookings can be made to the name card attached in this post. Do let me know if there's any special arrangements you need, we could meet up if its a fine day!

I'm Ari, your solution of a mystifying evening of Magic!
Been doing it for 6 years now, I've seen the rise & fall of commercial magicians all over the world. I'm not interested in their work, but I'm very much eager to display my own.

Magic is more than fooling people. Its a combination of laughter & excitement, much more than a boring observation. I always make sure my audiences are well entertained throughout my shows. Nevertheless, I have my own tricks up my sleeves.

My clients include Singapore's finest entertainment & shopping destinations like Sentosa 4D Magix, Vivo City, Singapore Science Center, Bugis Street Magic.

I was also invited to perform for various community clubs in Singapore, including Radin Mas CC's, Biggest New Years Eve event for 2011 that attracted 10,000 people!

Performed Close Up Magic during Chinese New Year for Members of Parliament - Yew Tee Zone, Singapore. Subsequently a Stage Magic for their PR & New Citizens of Singapore inauguration ceremony.

The list goes on, but I wish to empty my cup before refilling it with new experiences. I'm always on the Hunt for new shows town.


Welcome to my segment of Mystification.


I'm here to present to you something that's not shown on TV, not on Youtube, not on commercial magic tricks you buy in magic shops.



I'm here to show you Magic, like you've never seen before, period!


Monday, April 5, 2010