Pick a Card, Any Card

In the hands of a magician, a spectator’s common sense gives way to someone else’s sleight of hand. It’s an interesting conceit for the role of the artist and is exploited fully in the work of New York-based artist Alexandre Singh. In pieces such as Assembly Instructions (2008), Singh mixes projections and visual references to magical symbols—including white rabbits, top hats and playing cards—with a lecture-like performance format, placing himself in control like an adept conjuror. Today he instructs us further, choosing his favorite images from Taschen’s super-sized new book, Magic 1400s-1950s, available now. Singh is represented by Monitor in Rome, Harris Lieberman in New York and Galerie Art Concept in Paris.