Housed in a striking 1970s concrete building in the heart of Geneva, Uni Dufour is one of the main buildings of the University of Geneva (UNIGE). It frequently serves as a venue for conferences, round tables, and events focused on a wide range of research topics.
François Bost, specialist in simulated magic of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, researches conjuring, performance practices and historical archives related to illusion.
This lecture reexamines the 1856 mission of Jean‑Eugène Robert‑Houdin to Algeria, investigating its psychological and geopolitical aims to discredit marabouts. Bost uses previously unused archives and unpublished documents to propose new hypotheses and a revised interpretation of colonial tactics and public influence.
In French.
Four prominent members of the Geneva Magic Club present expertise in illusion, sleight of hand and mentalism, drawing on performance practice and historical knowledge.
The lecture examines continuities and transformations in stage magic from the early twentieth century to today, exploring how so-called ‘white magic’ entered the performing arts and how illusionists negotiate the term’s ambiguities. Live demonstrations illuminate techniques and thematic shifts within the discipline.
In French.
Through intimate, sea-borne portraits, this documentary traces a Swiss Arctic expedition led by the Pacifique Foundation (2020–2024) in partnership with the University of Geneva. Aboard the sailing vessels Mauritius and Que Sera, crews gathered extensive scientific data while the voyage doubled as a space for personal transformation—hosting young people in reintegration programs and artists in residence. The film balances measured observational frames with lyrical passages, revealing the Arctic’s fragile beauty and the geopolitical and climatic tensions pressing upon it.
Documentary followed by a roundtable discussion on the interactions between environmental research and contemporary challenges in the Arctic.
In French.
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