Jeff
Sheridan
ARTIST OF MAGIC
Pioneer American Visual and Performing Artist
New Sculpture and Painting
Legendary Magic Performance
and Performance Art
Jeff Sheridan is an historic Artist, pursuing his twin passions – Visual
Art – sculpture and painting exploring a path out of Modernism – and Magic as a
performance artist and inventor in the highest traditions of theatrical and
sleight-of-hand Magic. Sheridan’s two
laser beams have burned through to create a constant stream of new discoveries,
and he has been increasingly combining the two art forms over time.
ART of MAGIC
MAGIC of ART
JEFF SHERIDAN: MAGIC AS METAPHOR, POETIC OBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE MEANINGS, Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Wiesbaden, Germany (2008). Sheridan’s sculptures were featured in THE CONCEPTUAL OBJECT, Francis Naumann Fine Art LLC, New York City (2007). His first one-man-exhibit JEFF SHERIDAN: THE SURREALIST’S MAGICIAN displayed his poetic objects in an historic context, curated by Helen Varola, at Deutsche Bank Gallery, New York City (1998).
JEFF SHERIDAN, A LEGEND IN MAGIC
Known
for original stylings and the sheer perfection of his sleight-of hand, his
charismatic command of the stage, wit and spontaneous invention have made him a
favorite with audiences as well as Magic connisours worldwide. Sheridan has been House Artist of the
Tigerpalast Internationales Variety Theatre in Frankfurt, Germany for
two
decades.
SCHOLARSHIP
Jeff Sheridan
studied art with Malcolm Morley at the School of Visual Arts, New York
City. An authority on Surrealism, he
spent time with heroes Salvador Dali and Marcel Jean and has developed an
original theory about the relationship of Magic and Surrealism. He is author of three books, the original STREET
MAGIC: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF WANDERING MAGICIANS AND THEIR CONJURING ARTS,
with Edward Claflin (1977, Doubleday, republished by Kaufman & Greenberg,
1998), NOTHING’S IMPOSSIBLE (1982, Lathrop, Lee & Shephard), and LIM-TRICKS
(1987, Kaufman & Greenberg) and has lectured and toured extensively in
Europe.
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Jeff
Sheridan
selected chronology
(1967) First public performances of Magic, Seahunt
Supper Club, Bronx, New York, opened for Sonny Til, act with cards and parakeets
(1967, July 2) First STREET MAGIC
performance at Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, New York City. Initiates fifteen
years of regular STREET MAGIC performances in New York City
(1968) SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS, New
York City. Studies art with Malcom Morley
(1970) Founder of THEATER OF THE
SURREAL with Robert Ries, Donald Waskover, Fonje de Vre, experimental
performance art combining Magic, art, theatre, music. Performances at Lincoln Center Library, New
York City and avant garde venues
(1972) Private performances for SALVADOR
DALI at St. Regis Hotel, New York City. Original Magic. Dali says “Bravo!”
(1972) Sheridan adopts Sir Walter
Scott Statue on Literary Walk in Central Park, New York City as his home base
for STREET MAGIC performances which continue regularly for a decade. Sheridan
makes STREET MAGIC respectable and becomes known as the FATHER OF MODERN STREET
MAGIC
(1972) FLIGHTS OF FANTASY avant
garde performance with Magic, dance, juggling, music at WBAI Radio, New York
City. Pre-New Vaudeville
(1973) FANTASY AT THE KITCHEN, experimental
performance with Magic, mime, dance, music at leading avant garde venue, The
Kitchen, Mercer Arts Center, New York City
(1974) CONJURING LESSONS avant
garde Magic play written and performed by Sheridan and Michael Fesenmeier, directed
by Eve Adamson at Jean Cocteau Repertory, New York City
(1975) MUNICIPAL ARTS SOCIETY of
New York City awards Sheridan STREET ENHANCER’S AWARD with guest, Jackie
Kennedy, Cooper Union
(1977) Publication of book STREET
MAGIC by Sheridan and Edward Claflin, Doubleday/Dolphin, historical, ground
breaking book, republished by Kaufman & Greenberg (1998)
(1977) VISUAL ALCHEMY,
one-man-show of original Magic and music at New York University Theatre, co-produced
by NYU
(1978) Private perfomance
honoring John Mulholland at Players Club, Grammercy Park, New York City
(1980) Private New Year’s Eve performance
for Lee Falk, creator of comic book icons Mandrake the Magician and the Phantom
(1980) Private performance for JOHN
LENNON, Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon at Tavern on the Green, New York City. John
Lennon calls Sheridan “…the best Magician I’ve ever seen”
(1982) Publication of book NOTHING’S
IMPOSSIBLE by Sheridan, photos by Jim Moore, Lothrop, Lee and Shephard
(1985) First trip to Paris. Sheridan
visits Surrealist artist and author MARCEL JEAN who wrote “To Jeff Sheridan,
who really surprised me”
(1987) Publication of book LIM-TRICKS,
published by Kaufman & Greenberg
(1989) Legendary German juggler
Francis Brun invites Sheridan to audition for newly opened TIGERPALAST VARIETY
THEATRE in Frankfurt, Germany. Tigerpalast hires Sheridan immediately
initiating two decades as House Artist
(1992) Starred in film HERZBLATT,
Strandfilm, Frankfurt. Created all original Magic performance art combining
Magic and Surrealism for film
(1992) Magic performance for
Inauguration of new ICE Fast Trains in Germany before President of Germany
(1992-1993) Toured major theatres
of Europe including Opera Comique, Paris with Maricio Kagel Variety directed by
Werner Herzog. Avant garde Magic performance art
(1994) MULTIKULT. Group art
exhibition, Frankfurt
(1994-1995) Invented tricks for
MAGICWORKS series, Milton Bradley
(1995) Theatrical Magic
performances, Munich
(1995) Magic Consultant,
Schaubuhne Theatre, Berlin. Created Magic for play THE ILLUSIONIST, by Sasha
Guitry
(1996) Magic performances, Star
Club, Kassel, Germany
(1998) First solo art exhibition:
JEFF SHERIDAN, THE SURREALIST’S MAGICIAN, poetic objects in historic context
curated by Helen Varola, Deutsche Bank Gallery, New York City
(1998) Invented tricks for TENYO,
Japan
(2002) CONJURING AND IT’S COUSIN,
publication of Sheridan scholarly article. Con Art catalogue, Site Gallery, UK,
republished in Magic Magazine
(2002) JEFF SHERIDAN: GENIUS AT
WORK (DVDs). Master classes including original Magic published by L&L
Publishing
(2002-2003) Lecture tours
including twenty-city tour of Europe and lectures in US
(2005) Opening Magic performance,
Desert Seminar, Orleans Hotel, Las Vegas
(2007) Group art exhibit THE
CONCEPTUAL OBJECT, Francis Naumann Fine Art, New York City
(2007) One-man-show of Original
Magic, Jewish Community of Frankfurt
(2008) Magic Consultant, Bayrische
Staatsoper, Munich. Created levitation illusion for opera, Busoni’s DR. FAUST
(2008) Art exhibition JEFF
SHERIDAN, MAGIC AS METAPHOR: POETIC OBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE MEANINGS, including
performance art, Hessisches Ministerium
für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Wiesbaden, Germany
(2011) JEFF SHERIDAN OPEN STUDIO,
introduces new series of paintings and Magic performance art
(2012) DVDs published by Penguin
Magic: THE JEFF SHERIDAN COURSE IN CARD MANIPULATION
(2013) DVDs published by Penguin
Magic: Original Magic,
JEFF SHERIDAN: ANGLE OF ATTACK
Photo credits
Jeff Sheridan, Artist of Magic, poster by Eric Gehring © (2006)
Jeff Sheridan portrait with bubble, photo Gordon Munro
Jeff Sheridan portrait with cards, photo Gordon Munro
Sculpture: The Beautiful Cannibal (Restored Fan),
Jeff Sheridan © (1990), photo, Jim Moore
Sculpture: Metamorphosis of the Bullet Catching Trick,
Jeff Sheridan © (2002), photo, Jim Moore
Exhibition poster. Sculpture: Diamonds from Coal,
Jeff Sheridan © (2006), photo, Rainer Drexel
Sculpture: Magically Cloned Playing Cards (The Sheep),
Jeff Sheridan © (2003), photo, Rainer Drexel
Jeff Sheridan in Central Park, photo Jay Livingston
Magic Magazine cover: Jeff Sheridan photo, V. Forster/Drexel
Jeff Sherian on Wall Street, photo Jim Moore
Jeff Sheridan portrait, photo Fonje de Vreeos
Videos:
Contact
Jeff Sheridan Studio
Email: candice.sheridan@me.com
