2019 Year in Review
It's been an eventful year SoMA! We held a successful conference in Chicago this Summer, and hosted a workshop in London this Fall. Many members contributed Smoke and Mirrors exhibition on the psychology of magic in London. SoMA members also published two new books on the science of magic. And topic has continued represent a productive area of scientific research.
If you missed out on any of the past newsletters- They’re all available HERE
We've also put together a small collection of writings and videos related to the events 2019:
SoMA Conference 2019
Our latest conference took place in at the Chicago Magic Lounge this past July. The conference brought together academics, researchers and magicians from around the world and featured top keynote speakers, presentations on recent research, a poster session, and a gala show.
Special thanks to our Gala Show performers Mac King , Ginny and Simon Aronson, Jeanette Andrews, Mister Danny, Tom Stone, and to our keynote speakers Professor Elizabeth Loftus and Professor Dan Simons, and our Guest of Honor Simon Aronson.
You can read the full program HERE
Additionally, SoMA sponsor Abracademy filmed a series of short interviews at the conference that you can view via the following links:
Smoke and Mirrors
The Smoke and Mirrors exhibition ran in London at the Wellcome Collection from April to September 2019, and featured a variety of SoMA members.
The exhibition explored the psychology of magic by considering topics ranging from Victorian seances, to contemporary magic research, and the performance of mentalism magic.
The exhibition has ended, but there are a number of related articles available on the Wellcome’s website including:
SOM BOOKS OF 2019
Experiencing the Impossible
2019 marked the debut of Gustav Kuhns’ Experiencing the Impossible: The Science of Magic. The book is written for general audiences by the president of SoMA and provides an excellent overview of the contemporary Science of Magic scene as well as a roadmap for future research.
The Spectacle of Illusion
SoMA’s Matt Tompkins also published a new book: The Spectacle of Illusion is an illustrated book about the historical and contemporary relationships between magicians, fraudulent mystics, and scientific researchers. It was written as a companion for Wellcome’s Smoke and Mirrors exhibition (see above). And it features accounts of ghost rapping, mind reading, lethal autopsies, full-body-cavity ghost hunts, and deadly stunts.
