On February 11, 2026 I had the honor of speaking at the opening gala for the Mystery and Wonder exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

To stand in that institution – surrounded by archivists, scholars, fellow magicians, and members of the press – and talk about magic not as novelty, but as culture, history, and art… that felt deeply meaningful.

For years, magic lived in footnotes. Passed hand to hand. Whispered backstage. Preserved in scrapbooks and fading photographs. Seeing it presented with scholarly care and institutional respect was something special.

I was proud that Chamber Magic could help support this exhibition and its opening night.

This is a video containing my remarks (yes… I did open with “Pick a card, any card.”).

Grateful for the artists who came before us. Grateful for the colleagues who continue to elevate the art. And grateful that magic has found a permanent place on the shelves of history.

Here is a transcript of my speech:

The three most common words out of a magician’s mouth are: pick a card.

Pick a card. Any card.
Actually, in honor of this exhibition, it should be a library card.

This room is filled with people who understand something most of the world doesn’t quite grasp: that magic isn’t just tricks. It’s culture. It’s theater. It’s psychology. It’s history. And when it’s done well, it can approach art.

For years, magic lived in footnotes—passed hand to hand, whispered backstage, preserved in scrapbooks and fading photographs. What the Mystery and Wonder exhibition does, beautifully, is give magic the institutional respect it has always deserved—not as a novelty, but as a serious performing art with a deep and fascinating lineage.

As someone who performs magic night after night in New York City, and who also spends an unreasonable amount of time in archives chasing the ghosts of magicians from yesteryear, this exhibition feels deeply personal. It bridges the living practice of magic with its history, and reminds us that what we do today stands on the shoulders of extraordinary artists who came before us.

It is an honor for me and Chamber Magic to support this exhibition and tonight’s gala. I am grateful to the curators, the librarians, the scholars, and the performers who made this possible—and to all of you for caring enough to be here.

Please enjoy the exhibition, enjoy the evening, and if you see a magician you admire—alive or otherwise—don’t forget to raise a glass.

Details:

Mystery and Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Shelby Cullom Davis Museum, Vincent Astor Gallery

February 12 to July 11, 2026