CAC Brétigny

Le Show d’Houdini
Curated by: Marion Vasseur Raluy (Director)

With: Romain Best, Guendalina Cerruti, Grichka Commaret, Audrey Couppé de Kermadec, Anders Dickson, Adrien Genty, Lucas Erin and Hatice Pinarbisi
Scientific Committee: Jonathan Naas, Zoé Théval
Scenography: Guendalina Cerruti

▲ La Ferme, Marolles-en-Hurepoix
11.04—30.05.2026

          Magicians are omnipresent in contemporary culture. From Hollywood films to cartoons, they are an ambivalent figure, capable of both good and bad, between trickery and miracle. As this character fascinates children and adolescents alike, its duality seems particularly illuminating in a time when it is increasingly difficult to distinguish what is real and fake.

Harry Houdini, renowned magician of the end of the 19ᵗʰ and beginning of the 20ᵗʰ centuries, is known for his spectacular tricks. Bound together by chains, he would place himself in locked crates filled with water and would always manage to free himself. Houdini would also stand in opposition to spiritualists, often ready to unmask the illusions of those who claim to conjure ghosts. With this fascinating figure as a starting point, the exhibition explores the complex dimensions of magic through contemporary artistic practices.

The scenography, created by artist Guendalina Cerruti, is an entrance point to a universe of other artists who imbue their works with magic. With an eclectic selection of installations, paintings, and sculptures, the visitor is invited to interrogate the place of magic in our societies.