On Wonder:
A performed lecture at the MIT Museum
This two-part event guided by celebrated artist, magician and researcher Jeanette Andrews took place at the MIT Museum on September 20, 2023. The evening began with the Boston / MIT premiere of Andrews’ “In Plain Listen,” which uses a Morse-code-based musical notation system to create a musical score depicting the secret of one of the oldest pieces of magic in history purely in music form, performed in tandem with the original magic effect. MIT PhD student Valerie Chen accompanied on cello. “In Plain Listen” was originally commissioned and funded by the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts at the University of Houston. Andrews then presented pieces from her repertoire and was joined by Professor of Anthropology Graham M. Jones and Professor of Computer Science Arvind Satyanarayan in a conversation about magic, culture and visual communication. Co-produced by MIT Anthropology, @MITCSAIL, @MITMuseumOfficial, and the @MITDesignAcad. Supported by Amar G. Bose Research Grants.
SELECTED SPEAKING AND LECTURES
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2023 - MIT Museum - "Designing the Impossible." Cambridge, MA.
2023 - The British Society of Aesthetics - "The Phenomenology of Surprise." London, England.
2022 - Harvard University. "Creating Space for Magic." Talk for Jeffrey Schnapp's Course "The Spectacle Factory" at The Harvard Graduate School Of Design. Cambridge, MA
2021 - Museums of Fine Art Houston "Magic & Mystery in Early America: Charles Willson Peale and the Art of Illusion"
2021 - Illinois Science Council “Magic & Psychology: How Do We Know?”
2021 - University of Chicago’s Center for Leadership & Involvement “Designing the Impossible,” Online.
2020 - Illinois Science Council “The Science of Magic.” (Postponed)
2020 - Lincoln Park Zoo “Amazing Human and Animal Senses” Adult education webinar.
2020 - Arlington Heights Memorial Library, “Coffee Chat: Science & Magic with Neuroscientist Prof. Stephen Macknik”
2019 - Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, “In Progress.” Artist talk
2019 – University of Pittsburgh, “Artist talk,” Online
2019 – Chicago Ideas Week “Designing the Impossible,” Chicago, IL
2019 - Science of Magic Association Conference, “Fantasy based on fact: Using the scientific method to design effective magic “Chicago, IL
2019 – International Awesome Summit, “Artist Talk,” Chicago IL
2018 – Carthage College, “Studio Visit and Artist Talk,” Cognitive Science of Magic course. Chicago, IL
2012 – Northwestern University, “Panel Discussion” for Magic and Medicine Course, Chicago, IL
2012 – Cusp Conference, “Impossible Maker,” Chicago, IL
2009 – Theory & Art of Magic Conference, Mullenburg College, “Sartre’s Theory of the Imagination and the Unreality of Magic,” Allentown, PA