A new exhibition exploring the history of Jewish magicians has opened at the Jewish Museum in Amsterdam. The project, titled Abracadabra, was developed in partnership with Dutch illusionist Hans Klok.
The idea began when Klok inherited moving boxes filled with items belonging to Theo Bamberg, a Jewish-Amsterdam performer known worldwide before the Second World War as Okito. Klok approached the museum, which chose to widen the concept to cover the broader history of Jewish illusionists.
Fifteen performers featured
The exhibition highlights fifteen Jewish magicians, including eight from Amsterdam, and runs through the end of March. Klok noted that early twentieth-century trade guilds excluded Jewish workers, leading many to pursue magic because it was an unregulated profession.
Displays feature objects such as a straitjacket used by Harry Houdini alongside footage of Klok’s past illusions, including a 2013 aerial stunt outside Royal Theater Carré. Interactive elements designed for children include classic illusions like being sawed in half or disappearing in a cabinet.
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