Magic in the Modern World

“In our scientifically-minded modern world, little room is left for the the mystical, the esoteric, and the magical, but we contend that such things, irrational as they may be, are fundamental to the human experience and necessary liminal spaces in which people experience joy, process trauma, or otherwise work through complicated emotions that a rationalistic society is not set up to handle, if it doesn’t actively reject them.”

Taking a broad view of magic and drawing from multiple histories, the book, Magic in the Modern World, proposes a way to think about magic in the 21st century, what it means to communities, and how it negotiates itself in systems of power. Generously illustrated, the book features the artwork of fifteen collage artists and dozens of historical images.

The book asks, What role can artists play in nurturing and supporting magic traditions? Ric Kasini Kadour wrote, “Through our artwork, we can share stories, demystify histories, reinforce ancestral or community connections, and celebrate magical practices in ways that are safe, comfortable, and legible. We can make visible cosmologies other than those of the prevailing culture and hold space for alternative worldviews. At various times, such work can be profound acts of resistance, caring, or celebration. With its history of surrealism, collage in particular lends itself to this work.”

ARTISTS
Ariya Aladjem Wolf (New Orleans, Louisiana) | Jenn Arras (Brooklyn, New York) |
Caroline Alterman (New Orleans, Louisiana) | Debi A Barton Haverly (Springfield, Vermont) | Rodney Boone (San Pedro, California) | Bridgette Bramlage (Chicago, Illinois) | Tracy Casagrande Clancy (Cincinnati, Ohio) | Jennifer Evans (Denver, Colorado) | Lela Goldstein (Scottsdale, Arizona) | Ric Kasini Kadour (New Orleans, Louisiana & Montreal, Quebec) | Jennifer G. Lai (Brooklyn, New York) | Johanna Merfeld (Great Barrington, Massachusetts) | Alexandra Montclair (Astoria, New York) | Vanessa L Moore (East Orange, New Jersey) | Ihosvany Plasencia (Miami, Florida) | LaVonna Varnado Brown (New Orleans, Louisiana) | Alicia Zapata (Chicago, Illinois)

Text by Ric Kasini Kadour
Details: 2024 | 116 pages | 9"x6" | ISBN 978-1-927587-73-7

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