Remembering Darwin Ortiz

Joshua Jay here...

On Friday, October 13, magic lost one of its greatest intellects. While this is an enormous loss for our art, we take solace in the fact that his body of work will live on for generations. In celebration of his life and legacy, we invite you to enjoy this download that we’ve made free for the next 48 hours.

"A Triumph and a Talk" is a remarkable interview between Michael Vincent and Darwin that was recorded at The Session. In classic Darwin Ortiz fashion, he offers invaluable advice on everything from making your magic relevant to the importance of viewing your magic from your audience’s perspective. You’ll even learn a stunning Triumph routine.

Download "A Triumph and a Talk"

Here's what I wrote about Darwin's passing:

Darwin and I have been correspondents since the day I first met him as a teenager. I wasn’t his student, but he was my teacher. It was truly inspiring watching someone forge a successful professional career while exclusively performing original material.

Once this material was honed and refined in real-world environments, he eventually shared it with our community in the form of five major collections of sleight-of-hand. My favorite of these was Cardshark, which came out when I was fourteen. I learned nearly every trick in that book.

Without question, his crowning achievement—and what he will be remembered for by magicians a century from now—are his two collections of magic theory, Strong Magic (1994) and Designing Miracles (2007). I refer to them as magic’s Old and New Testament. These masterworks ventured boldly into new territory, codifying dozens of new concepts, coining new terms, and revealing new ways to classify and think about magic.

Darwin Ortiz receiving the Guest of Honor award at Magifest 2022

I can think of only two reasons Darwin is under-appreciated in some circles. The first is that, perhaps, Darwin’s strength was not charismatic performances (he was a good performer, but some couldn’t connect with his performance style). It’s convenient when the greatest thinkers and creators also happen to be exceptionally entertaining. But by no means do these things need to go hand-in-hand.

The other reason: Darwin was old-school. He might have seemed cold or distant to the casual student. He didn’t give just anyone access. But I can attest that if you demonstrated a serious interest, he was enthusiastic, helpful, and loyal. He was very kind to me over the course of my career, and offered specific advice and ideas to make my magic better. He cared. I mourn his loss, and I mourn the loss of his future work (particularly the planned, promised third volume of theory), which we fellow magicians will never get to experience.

For now though, It is a great privilege to share his brilliance with magicians around the world. I do encourage you to carve out an hour to enjoy "A Triumph and a Talk".

Download "A Triumph and a Talk"

Rest in peace Darwin, and never play cards with strangers.