This week we welcome magicians Stuart Nolan and Kieron Kirkland who are joining Watershed's Pervasive Media Studio as our first ever Magicians in Residence.

Over the next two months, these two amazing practitioners will conjure up creative ideas that blend technology, interaction design, magic and illusion, supported by Watershed and the University of Bristol.

Kieron Kirkland is a professional magician, technologist, theatre practitioner and researcher with a significant performing history including close-up and stage (Globe Theatre, Tobacco Factory, Punchdrunk, Stand and Stare). He has also worked as ASM for Derren Brown. He is an experienced researcher working with innovative applications of current and emerging digital technologies. Kieron will research the synergies and opportunities between magic and the maker movement.

Kieron says:

“I am ridiculously excited to bring together my two great passions, magic and technology. I want to bring the innovation and excitement of the maker movement to today’s magic community. Magicians dream the impossible, makers make dreams possible. Imagine what could happen when you bring them together?”

Stuart Nolan is an applied magician with a background in performance, cell biology, interactive media, experience design, programming, technology development, academic research, playful and performative facilitation, and education. Since a NESTA Fellowship in 2002, he has collaborated with others to apply techniques, tools, and insights from the arts of performance magic to a variety of other creative fields including installation art, architecture, visual design, game design, software design, media, sport, and performance arts. Stuart will explore how to track subconscious muscle responses to create a friendly mind-reading robot pet.

Stuart says:

“I'm very excited to be joining Watershed to work with the clever folk there. We'll be developing new technologies centered around the idea of mind-reading robot pets and I hope that together we will explore some fascinating cognitive science, develop novel approaches to mind-computer interfaces, and create some truly amazing technological marvels.”

Don’t miss our free Lunchtime Talk at the Studio this Fri 4 Oct between 1-2pm, where the magicians will introduce their practice and share their ideas and inspirations for the residency. We can't wait to see what they come up with!

Find out more about the Residency.

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