The Most Innovative Young Mind in Illusion To Electrify Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Audience with Groundbreaking Magic

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is bringing back Experiential Illusionist Jeanette Andrews for a one-evening performance, “Thresholds: Unlocking Illusions for the Senses & the Mind” on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, from 6:00–7:30 pm.

“Thresholds is immersive and highly interactive, as the audience embarks on a physical journey experiencing illusions designed for each of the five senses in five distinct spacial environments throughout museum,” said Andrews. “Drawing from materials as varied as perfume bottles, walnuts, and the music of John Cage, I act as the audience’s guide through landscapes specifically designed to awaken the mind and the senses to a state that inspires revelation and wonder.”

Andrews’ work centers on how illusions can construct reality and seeks to highlight astonishing aspects of everyday life by creating psychological and visual moments where the seemingly impossible becomes reality. Ms. Andrews mesmerizes by finding historic magic illusions and modernizing them for today’s audiences. The participant’s experience is at the center of the performance, as the entire audience collaborates to create the show by making crucial decisions and possessing seemingly impossible knowledge. These mass participations include the audience being able to find a chosen card using the sense of touch and making an image on their programs vanish and then reappear at will. The performance features a viewer’s thought-of scent becoming a reality, a member of the audience being able to surmise Jeanette’s thoughts, and a rose metamorphosing before one’s very eyes.

“My work differs drastically from other magicians, as my performances combine the techniques of my craft with influences not typically seen in magic, such as installation art and quantum physics to create a deeply contemplative take on the art of the impossible,” said Andrews. “My vision is to bring the art of illusion back to a high art, with the prestige it held in the 1800’s.” Due to the cultural familiarity of magic performances, Andrews’ work appeals to a wide variety of audiences. Ms. Andrews then leaves the participants astonished by turning the traditional magic narrative on its head. Her performance is far more intellectual than pulling a rabbit out of a hat: Andrews draws from philosophy, psychology and art to give audiences an electrifying and sophisticated experience beyond the normal. She uses sensory anomalies and scientific oddities as a gateway to bridge everyday life to a special heightened world.

Magic is Ms. Andrews’ life’s work. She is considered one of the brightest, most innovative young artists in magic/illusion today and has created the medium “Experiential Illusionism,” combining illusions with interactive performance, art and immersive theater. Andrews is the only magician in the world known to be named to an artist-in-residence position, granted by Escape to Create in Seaside, Florida in 2014. The genesis of Thresholds was created during her residency and the work debuted in April 2015 to a sold-out, extended run at the Pleasant Home Museum. Andrews is currently touring the critically acclaimed performance across the United States to sold-out audiences. Thresholds is a genuinely new experience—magic for the 21st century, an unforgettable evening that leaves you speechless and enchanted.

Running Time: 90 minutes Free with museum admission. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) is FREE to Illinois residents on Tuesdays. The MCA is located at 220 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. General information can be obtained by calling the MCA at 312.280.2660 or visiting https://mcachicago.org/Calendar/2016/01/MCA-Studio-Jeanette-Andrews-Thre... or www.mcachicago.org.