Is magic all in the mind? A major new exhibition at the Wellcome Collection will seek to find the answer by exploring its relationship with psychology.
Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic will be the first exhibition ever to focus on magic and the human mind, charting its history from 19th century séances to contemporary illusionists.
One major theme of the show will be the mass appeal of séances, spiritualism and celebrity mediums, along with the scientific research around them and the psychology that makes them so powerful.
It will also focus on the power of misdirection, with items used by Derren Brown and Tommy Cooper among those set to be on show. Visitors will be able to learn how distractions and cognitive flaws allow masters of the art to fool us into believing we’ve seen magic in action.
The exhibitions final theme will be mentalism, exploring the role of magicians in decision-making and the idea that our minds can be read or controlled. Horoscopes, hypnotherapy and our sense of free choice will all come under the microscope to show how simple trickery can often have a major effect on our psychology.
Objects on show will range from props, posters, films and photographs, with highlights including a ghost detection kit, spirit photographs and a sawing in half box used by Paul Daniels.
Smoke and Mirrors: The Psychology of Magic will run from April 11 - September 15; wellcomecollection.org
