The Pledge, The Turn, and The Prestige
– A Magical Revelation
August 10 - 31, 2024

Grotto SKW - 2/f, East 17, No. 17 Main Street East, Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong
Mon - Sat, 11 am - 6pm (closed on Sun and p.h.)

“Magic is all about structure, you’ve got to take the observer from the ordinary, to the extraordinary, to the astounding.” Richard Jay Potash (1946-2018)

Magician provides three parts in their trick. First comes The Pledge where something relatively ordinary is shown. Then The Turn generates surprise and wonder and often leaves the audience in a state of confusion or awe. The Prestige is the final part of the trick, where the magician provides a resolution that reveals the hidden secrets and unveils the true nature of the illusion.

The storytelling technique of "The Pledge, The Turn, and The Prestige" was regarded as fundamental of illusionist training. While the concept was introduced in the context of stage magic, the structure had been used by artists in their pursuit of narrative and expressive deliveries for many years.

Artists in the present exhibition all involve their works with an abstract composition or challenges the audience's understanding of reality. To make their images more impactful, they employ a structured approach that creates anticipation, surprise, and a satisfying revelation for the audience.

"The Pledge" represents the initial phase of the composition, where the artist establishes a baseline or introduces a seemingly ordinary object, figure, or space. This phase creates a sense of normalcy and sets the audience's expectations, often making them believe nothing extraordinary is happening.

"The Turn" is the pivotal moment in the work where something unexpected and extraordinary occurs. It involves a sudden change, disappearance, or transformation that challenges the audience's perception of reality. The Turn generates surprise and wonder and often leaves the audience in a state of confusion or awe.

"The Prestige" is the final stage of the artwork, where the artist provides a resolution or revelation that reveals the hidden meaning and unveils the true nature of the creative concept. It delivers a conclusion that ties everything together, leaving the audience amazed and generate their own revelations and opinions.

「魔術的精髓在於結構，你必須帶領觀眾從平凡走向非凡，再達至驚人。」——Richard Jay Potash（1946-2018）

魔術師的表演分為三個部分。首先是「誓言」，展示一些相對普通的事物。接下來是「轉折」，帶來驚喜和奇觀，常讓觀眾感到困惑或驚嘆。最後是「揭示」，魔術師揭示隱藏的秘密，展現幻術的真相。

「誓言、轉折與揭示」的敘事技法被認為是魔術師訓練的基礎。雖然這一概念是在舞台魔術的背景下提出，但這種結構多年來一直被藝術家用於創作中的敘事和表達。

本次展覽的藝術家在其作品內都包含了抽象構圖，挑戰觀眾對現實的理解。為了使作品更具衝擊力，他們採用了結構化的方法，創造期待、驚奇和令人滿意的揭示。

「誓言」代表創作的起首，藝術家建立一個基線或介紹一個看似普通的人、物或空間。這一階段創造正常感，設定觀眾的期望，讓他們相信沒甚麼特別的事情發生。

「轉折」是作品中的關鍵，意外和非凡的事出現了。這包括突變、消失或轉變，挑戰觀眾對現實的認知。「轉折」帶來驚喜和奇觀，常常讓觀眾感到困惑或驚嘆。

「揭示」是作品的終章，藝術家提供解決或揭示，展示創意概念的真相。這階段提供一個將所有元素混合在一起的結論，讓觀眾驚嘆並得到啟示和見解。

Exhibiting Artists 藝術家：

Mindy Lui 雷恩兒
Bosco Law Ka Nam 羅家南
Bouie Choi 蔡鈺娟
Hung Fai 熊輝
Tam Tak-hei 譚德熙
Wai Pongyu 韋邦雨
Xie Chengxuan 謝承軒
Argus Fong Tsz-leong 方梓亮
Chan Kwan Lok 陳鈞樂
Au-yeung Chun 歐陽俊