David Blaine

David Blaine (born David Blaine White on April 4, 1973), is an American illusionist and stunt performer born in Brooklyn, New York City. He made his name as a performer of close-up magic, usually working on the streets. Amongst magicians this is commonly known as street magic. His father is Puerto Rican and his mother was of Russian Jewish descent.

Blaine and his peers and influences

David Blaine?s development as an entertainer and media figure has been exceptionally well plotted by himself and his advisers. While he name-checks Houdini as an influence he appears reluctant to credit his precursors in the arena of live art and magic.

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New York based fine artist and magician 'Jeff Sheridan' is revered as the father of modern street magic, authored a 1977 book titled Street Magic, was the performer who inspired and actually taught the pre-teen Blaine after the latter saw him perform in Central Park, was even approached by Blaine to work with him; now toiling away on the magic lecture circuit and appearances at variety shows in Germany. Italian body artist 'Franko B' has been a major presence in the world of live art since the late 1990s and is a past master at coming up with quite challenging and controversial public actions involving putting his life at risk ? for example bleeding copiously during a performance. Internationally active conceptual artist and magician aladin has a history of working with street gangs through his magic since the early 1990s, and as far back as 1999 was invited by the famous Victoria and Albert Museum in London to install himself in a glass box. Some-time friend of Blaine?s Uri Geller was himself a huge public figure as a ?mystical? entertainer and personality from the 1970s through into the early 1990s. Finally, in India there are any number of dare devils/escape artists who think nothing of taking on public stunts which carry a real risk of death or serious injury ? this in front of massive crowds.

Related Topics:
Central Park - Live art - Conceptual artist - Aladin - Street gang - Victoria and Albert Museum - Uri Geller - India - Dare devil - Escape artist

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Blaine however has no competitors in terms of his marketability and financial success and his stature is such that he will continue being credited for being a pioneer in mixing magic with live or performance art.

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