Witches Cradles, 2009

Mixing Magic, Art & Social Engagement since 2000
CTM website

Witches Cradles is a contemporary reinterpretation of the historical practice of placing people, accused of witchcraft, in cradles to swing them from one side to the other. In STUK, Center for Tactical Magic invites you to take place in one of the ‘cradles’ which is shaped as a “star chamber”. This evokes its magical origins, the emblem of state power and a cosmic source of light amidst darkness. The participant takes place in the central pentagon of the “star chamber”. The cradle gets lifted in the air and starts to swing softly from one side to the other. The confusion of senses is thought to induce hallucinatory experiences that can lead to altered states of consciousness, much like those sought by shamans, dervishes and alternative doctors.

Interview with Center for Tactical Magic, 2015
Article: See to Believe: The Center for Tactical Magic’s Sleight of Hand, Gretchen Coombs 

Center for Tactical Magic (USA)
°2000, San Francisco

The Center for Tactical Magic s founded in 2000 by Aaron Gach. This collective is known for their performances, installations and exhibitions that explore social, political and historical issues. Society and its problems are being approached from a ‘magical’ perspective. Humor, surprises, disguises and other ideas from tactical magic offer a new alternative view on reality.