COMMISSIONED BY RHIZOME:

The Fantasy Life of Boys: A Magical Tactical Practical

The Center for Tactical Magic is a San Francisco-based collective
operating in the realm of performance (art) and action. Highly
trained in the principles of magic, ninja-ism, art, investigation, and
critical theory, the Center's actions represent a novel combination of
serious political thought and social gathering. Presenting a model of
art-making as collaborative, relational, and political, CTM has
pseudo-military cousins in groups like Basekamp (Philadelphia) and
Atelier van Lieshout (Rotterdam, The Netherlands).

MAGIC:
Like artists, magicians and ninjas synthesize technical ability with
tricky showmanship, competition, and illusion. The artist-as-magician
illuminates the aspect of art presentation that works on the tiered
levels of the public, the curator, and the fellow practitioner. CTM is
able to entertain local children while foregrounding political
statements and acts, rather than merely clowning. This works on the
level of the public- and the artist-viewer, while entertaining and
educating both.

BOYS:
CTM encompasses a levity of approach which reflects its roots in
fantasy careers like magician, ninja, private investigator, and
philosopher. Many artists have taken on professional persona in order
to document subcultures and social truths. The hybrid practice of CTM
uses a schoolboy's list of professions as a tactical launching pad to
pursue meaningful interaction and effective action.

NO MORE PRISONS:
In the case of CTM, the various training in the ways of stealth
reconnaissance, mind-and-body bending, and customer service, has
yielded a powers-for-good scenario. The commitment to models of
political action and literacy set this group apart from your average
roving gang of fighter- trickster-private dicks. The CTM continues to
take its message and methods to the streets, and to regional art
centers and universities around the US.

Always up to something, I asked The Center to take a moment to offer a
list of recommended readings to Rhizome Digest readers in lieu of a
formal interview, and they provided the following five readings and
five real-world exercises in their brand of Tactical Magic.

-Sara Greenberger



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READ-BETWEEN-THE-LINES READINGS: (in no particular order of preference)

1) Magick in Theory and Practice - Aleister Crowley (especially
Crowley's preface/intro) and/or Magick Without Tears

2) Essence of Ninjutsu - Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi

3) Magic & Showmanship - Henning Nelms

4) Guerrilla Warfare & Special Forces Operations (FM 31-21) - Dept. of the=

Army

5) The Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism -
Hakim Bey

EXERCISES IN MAGICAL THINKING, ANALYZING POWER, AND ACTIVATING HIDDEN
FORCES:

1) Plant three seeds of a vegetable plant of your choosing. Label
each container respectively: positive, negative & control. Provide
each plant with equal amounts of water, soil, and sun. Dedicate at
least 6 minutes of each day (3 minutes per plant - positive & negative
only) to focused positive & negative thoughts. Record your results
and enjoy the fruits (vegetables) of your labor.

*This is an exercise in developing your telepathic abilities,
exploring modes of unregulated communication, collaborating with
non-humans, and bringing your thoughts and desires to fruition.

2) Write your own survey to elicit responses from other members of the
general public. You may decide to pose questions, ask opinions, or
provoke thought. Then, conduct the survey for at least 3 hours in a
public space of your choosing, or until the "authorities" inform you
that you are trespassing on public property.

*This is an exercise in activating public space, determining the
limits of public space, and generating a non-commercial exchange of
ideas among strangers. Most people are happy to express their
opinions when asked, especially when they are informed that there
participation does not involve a sales pitch, future mailings,
religious conversion, or product development.

3) Get a rope (at least 30ft) and a friend (or a friendly stranger).
Take turns tying each other up and escaping.

*This is an exercise that explores restriction, control, and
self-liberation. You'll be amazed to find how easily one can liberate
oneself!

4) Get a group of friends together at night and find a public space to
beautify as you see fit. Consider your site beforehand and plan
your action thoroughly (but don't bring along any evidence of your
conspiring).
Your materials should not be cumbersome, or they should be
well-disguised. While some friends are in the act of beautifying,
others should be posted on the lookout for "authorities" since they
might not have the same sense of aesthetic appreciation as you and
your friends. (Hey! If they don't like it, they can make their own
art!) If you decide to document your actions, it's best to do it at a
later time, and be sure that none of your friends faces are visible.

*This is an exercise in collaborative acts of meditation, willful
engagement, and material transformation. You can do this in the
daytime too, but nocturnal operations tend to be more mirthful and
help induce perceptual shifts (both spatially and experientially).

5) Create a disguise for yourself that allows you to navigate everyday
life without drawing much attention. This should be different from
your normal attire. Spend the day in disguise performing leisurely or
mildly adventuresome activities. Possibilities include:

a) Choose someone at random and follow them from a distance for at
least fifteen minutes. Then follow someone else. When you grow tired
of following people, find someone who looks lost and try leading them
to their destination.

b) Visit a factory or place of industry and ask for a tour. Ask lots
of provocative questions, then ask for a job. Tell them you can't do
much, but you're interested in something at the executive level.

c) Go to at least three different places of worship. Check out the
interior design. Explore a little. If someone is in attendance,
strike up a conversation about the "afterlife" or "special religious
foods."

d) Go to a bank with your video camera and ask the security guard or
branch manager if you can record there. When s/he says "no" then ask
how many security cameras they have installed. If they ask "why?"
tell them you're "just doing research" or "conducting a survey of
banks" or "interested in security."

*This is an exercise in shape shifting, personal transformation, and
casting illusions as well as observing how "authorities" respond to
subtle challenges beyond the status quo. The disguise will help
empower you to act "out of character;" besides, if you can't change
yourself how do you expect to change the reality around you?

-Center for Tactical Magic