Several years ago, Journalist Caroline Baum (State Library Reader in Residence) reached out to me to help find ways to activate the R.B Robbins stage magic collection hidden in the depths of the NSW State Library.

We kicked things off with this article in the SMH (Hocus pocus: Magic buried deep in the bowels of the State Library), we followed up with some very special visits with my Students from N.I.D.A learning about theatrical magic and illusion, donning latex gloves we sifted through very old books worth a fortune, learning secret methods for illusions 100’s of years old ! (Read about Magic at N.I.D.A)

In 2021 between lockdowns the NSW State Library re-visited this activation and created Hows Tricks? Magic In The Golden Age – the first ever exhibition focused on magic, and more specifically Australian magicians between 1880 to 1920.

Curator Margot Riley, has done an outstanding job doing a deep dive on Australian magic history and going far beyond the R.B Robbins collection showcasing huge world famous Australian names, international acts touring and long forgotten magic shops supported by my good friend Author and Researcher John Zubrzycki and Australian magic historian Kent Blackmore.

Stay tuned for my Live performance curation which will be paired with the exhibition in March – Hows Tricks Live