Broken wand: Allan Slaight

Our sincere condolences to Allan's family and friends.  Our thoughts are with you at this most difficult time.

 

From the September 20th post at Magicana:

On September 19, 2021, John Allan Slaight passed away peacefully, aged 90, at his home in Toronto. Born on July 19, 1931 in Galt, Ontario to John Edgar and Eileen Slaight, Allan soon made his mark, first, at 8 as a magician, and then, at 17 as a broadcaster, hosting a late night jazz program Spins and Needles in his new hometown of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. At 19, he married Ada Mitchell, moved to Edmonton, started a family, and jockeyed between local radio stations before becoming the News Director at CHED in 1953. In 1958, he relocated to Toronto and became the Program Director of CHUM, the fledgling rock and roll radio station. Thanks to Allan’s endless energy, intuitive grasp of programming, and extraordinary ability to inspire, CHUM soon set the standard for rock and roll radio in Canada, and abroad. 

Read more.

 

ALLAN SLAIGHT (1931-2021) With great sadness, we share the news that Allan Slaight passed away peacefully at his home in Toronto on September 19, 2021 with his beloved wife, Emmanuelle Gattuso, by his side. He was 90. https://t.co/wnIbCcgbGF pic.twitter.com/udRemSaELg

— Magicana (@sharingwonder) September 20, 2021

 

 

 

Canada’s Walk of Fame: Allan Slaight

From the December 13th article "Canada's Walk of Fame Honours the 'Impact' of Allan Slaight":

Also announced, in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Allan Slaight Music Impact honour, CWOF inducts Allan Slaight with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame for his contributions in business and philanthropy.

“I congratulate my father Allan on receiving this special award from Canada’s Walk of Fame in recognition of his accomplishments in his business life, his support for Canadian music creators and the arts in Canada and more importantly, his leadership in philanthropy,” Slaight Communications CEO and President Gary Slaight stated with the announcement. “Our family is very proud of the path he set for so many to follow.”

Read more.

Breaking news: Allan Slaight Relief Fund for Professional Magicians

With tremendous thanks to the Slaight Family Foundation for their generosity!


From Magicana:

And just like that, the Canadian magic industry has vanished.

In response to difficult and devastating times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for magicians who work in the gig economy, the Slaight Family Foundation has pledged to help.

Allan Slaight Relief Fund 

To contribute during these trying times, the Foundation has established the Allan Slaight Relief Fund of $150,000 to help defray cost-of-living expenses incurred by professional Canadian magicians. The Slaight Family Foundation has partnered with Magicana to administer the payment of funds to applicants who meet eligibility.

The relief fund was initiated to help with monthly costs, such as groceries, utilities, phone and Internet bills, up to a maximum of $500 per application. Because of the uncertainty of how long we must maintain strict social distancing, applicants can reapply for assistance thirty days after receiving a prior payment, until the fund is depleted.

If you are a Canadian citizen, living in Canada, working as a full-time professional in magic with at least three years of experience, you are eligible for funding assistance. We understand that many magicians are semi-professionals. We would, however, ask that applications at this time be reserved for those who rely on magic as their sole source of income.

Read more to learn about the application process.

Random thoughts about "Illusions: The Art of Magic"

Visit "Illusions: The Art of Magic" February 22nd to May 18, in the AGO’s Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavillion.

The exhibition is free for AGO Members, AGO Annual Pass holders and visitors 25 years and under.

I participated in the recent media preview of the upcoming AGO exhibition, "Illusions: The Art of Magic," which features more than 55 colourful vintage posters from the Allan Slaight Collection.*  The collection is guest curated by Magicana’s artistic director and historian David Ben.

Adolph Friedländer, Comedians de Mephisto Co. Allied with Le Roy-Talma-Bosco, 1905. 186.5 × 266.5 cm. M2014.128.318. ©McCord Museum

The exhibition is a journey back to the Golden Age of Magic.  During this time magicians of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were among the first artists to embark on international tours.  Promotional posters portrayed magician's magical powers through illustrated advertisements ranging in size from postcards to wall-sized posters.

“These posters tell us so much about that time – the public’s fascination with Asia, with spiritualism, the occult and the changing role of women in society,” says Julian Cox, the AGO’s Deputy Director and Chief Curator. “Toronto was a popular stop on the international touring circuit for magicians, and Houdini performed here numerous times over his career. These works and the stories behind them remain as captivating today as they were one hundred years ago.”

The Metropolitan Printing Company, Adelaide Herrmann and Company, About 1905, 20th century, 76.7 x 50.2 cm. Purchase, funds graciously donated by La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso. M2014.128.207. © McCord Museum

Listen to the February 18th interview with Julie Eng in the CBC q studio where she talks about the exhibit, cultural appropriation, the role of women in magic, and how many of their stories have been overshadowed and forgotten.

There are many focal points within the exhibition, such as: women in magic, spiritualism, cultural appropriation, and the symbolism of devils, skulls, & demons.



More than posters.

In addition to the beautiful posters, there are wonderful video clips too.  For example:

A still shot from video of Harry Blackstone and his dancing handkerchief

A still shot from an interview with Julie Eng talking about her life in magic.

A still shot from video of Houdini's variation of a forearm riffle.

Keep an eye open for these "hole in the wall" viewing portals to catch a peek of more video!

Make your own magic poster
There's a station where you can digitally create your own magic poster!  (Complete with a legend that explains what all the animals and other objects on the posters represent.)

The exhibition also features other magcially historical items such as:

• wonderful selections from David Ben's collection, including Hofzinser cards and items particular to magic in Toronto (including a vistors' book from Arcade Magic!)
• handcuffs used by Houdini, and
• Houdini's straitjacket

Hofzinser cards from David Ben's collection

Visitor book from Arcade Magic.  From David Ben's collection.

Houdini's straitjacket.

Av Yaga, Alexander, the Man Who Knows, 1915, 20th century
207.9 x 107.7 cm. Purchase, funds graciously donated by La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso. M2014.128.3. © McCord Museum

But wait!  There's more!

There will be daily live performances at the exhibition provided by the Toronto Magic Company.  Confirmed performers include:

- James Alan (Classics of Magic)
- Jonah  Babins (Interactive Impossibilities)
- Harry Zimmerman and Chris Mayhew (Close-Up Magic)
- Toronto Magic Showcase
- Toronto Magic Company (Making Magic)
- Ben Train (Mental Mysteries)

Check the Toronto Magic Company website for the performance schedule.






Visit "Illusions: The Art of Magic" February 22nd to May 18, in the AGO’s Sam & Ayala Zacks Pavillion.   The exhibition is free for AGO Members, AGO Annual Pass holders and visitors 25 years and under.


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* ABOUT THE ALLAN SLAIGHT COLLECTION
Acquired by the McCord Museum thanks to La Fondation Emmanuelle Gattuso, the Allan Slaight Collection is one of the world’s largest collections of rare magic posters comprising more than 600 posters and more 1,000 documents and rare books. The collection was named in honour of the Canadian businessman and magic enthusiast Allan Slaight.

Toronto: Golden Age of Magic

From Magicana:

In February 2020, the Golden Age of Magic will once again emerge—this time in Toronto—in the forthcoming exhibition, Illusions: The Art of Magic at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

Originally curated by Christian Vachon of the McCord Museum in Montreal, and guest curated by Magicana’s artistic director and historian David Ben, the exhibition will showcase fifty-five gorgeous, vintage posters from the Allan Slaight Collection of the McCord Museum. The exhibition celebrates magic’s greatest luminaries, including the one and only Harry Houdini, highlighting photographs, films, documents, autographs and objects once belonging to Houdini.

Read more.

From the Sharing Wonder Twitter feed:

The Golden Age of Magic comes to Toronto in Feb 2020 in "Illusions: The Art of Magic" at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). The exhibition will showcase fifty-five gorgeous, vintage posters from the Allan Slaight Collection at the McCord. MORE: https://t.co/g6ZcifGAOJ pic.twitter.com/i5oqIZ8Wf5

— Magicana (@sharingwonder) July 31, 2019

Congratulations to the 2018 Canadian Rising Star

The winners of Magicana's Allan Slaight awards will be announced every day this week, starting yesterday. Special congratulations to Carisa Hendrix for winning the Canadian Rising Star award!


From the Magicana Twitter feed:

Here's 1 of 5 #AllanSlaightAwards celebrating #excellenceinmagic The Canadian Rising Star award, acknowledges outstanding work by an emerging artist & comes with an iPad, & $5,000 from the Slaight Family Foundation. ... AND, it's @CarisaHendrix WATCH: https://t.co/EBWbKTAG8J pic.twitter.com/n2PWVxeapx

— Magicana (@sharingwonder) June 24, 2019

Carleton establishing Chair for the Study of the Conjuring Arts

Speaking of picking a post-secondary school, Carleton is adding a new magical incentive!

(There's a nice mention of Johnny Giordmaine in the post too.)


From the December 20th post at the Carleton Newsroom:

Carleton University is pleased to announce the creation of the Allan Slaight Chair for the Study of the Conjuring Arts, thanks to a $2-million leadership gift from The Slaight Family Foundation that has been matched by the university. The Chair will work with students on various topics in many disciplines and will join the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

“We are honoured to be the recipient of The Slaight Family Foundation’s generosity and excited for the learning opportunities this Chair will create,” says Carleton’s Interim President Alastair Summerlee. “As a society, it’s imperative that we understand when we are being deceived. It’s also important to remember that magicians are among some of history’s greatest performers and influencers.”

Read more.