En Blanco. Gonzalo Albiñana

Gonzalo Albiñana, extraordinary grand prize winner at the last National competition, has just released a book (a huge one, given the three years of work and its sheer volume).

For those of you who aren't familiar with Gonzalo, he's an incredibly creative and meticulous magician, with a deep love for magic, as evidenced by his studies on the infinite salt (G.A.P.S.) and the vanishing cage (Maese Coral), along with all the effects he has on the market.

So, what's "En Blanco" all about? It's hard to pin down, so let's let Gonzalo and those who joined him tell us themselves:

A leap into the void, onto a blank page, with a twist and no safety net.

A challenge to write a new magic idea every single day, uninterrupted for over a year.

A project by Gonzalo Albiñana, over eight hundred pages of a game among magician friends turned into a book, the culmination of a creative challenge, a window into the author's imagination with nuances, comments, and gripes from Mago Migue, Gastón, Imanol Ituiño, Tuttilifamili, Miguel Ángel Gea, Nacho Diago, Adrián Vega, Jon Zabal, Fernando Saldaña, Ramón Mayrata, Ramó, Armando Magia, and Ricardo Sánchez. All laid out by Eden Herrera, and with a bonus box of paints.

But let's be straight,

Who is Gonzalo Albiñana, and what is En Blanco?

Let's hear from those who have lived it and know their secrets:

Miguel Puga, MagoMigue:

“Gonzalo Albiñana is a dreamer with critical, analytical, playful, and free-thinking ideas, which will precisely help us to "never draw a blank" again. This has been a year of obsessive dedication, sacrifice, hard work, passion, love for magic and the magical, sleepless nights, laughter, tossed-out ideas, unexpected ones, brilliant insights, silly notions… a year playing with dreams. With his dreams, and ultimately, with ours. And, as if that weren't enough, he's so generous that he's decided to share it with the world. You hold something very special in your hands. It's not just wonderful ideas. It's not just a book. It's a game. It's 365. Perhaps many more. A Pandora's Box. A magical sewing kit so you can stitch your own shadow.”

Gaston:

“What is a book? What is this project? Who is this man? Imagine a room full of magicians. Most of them spoke Spanish. Many of them became friends. With some of them, a group was formed, CINCO. One of them inspired me again and again and again. His name? Gonzalo Albiñana. We share two loves. Magic and theater. Theater and magic. What comes first? What's important? What's a chicken and what's an egg, and why does one have to come before the other? Two souls in our chest that never rest, always asking, always demanding. I've known Gonzalo for almost ten years. Oh, Ach du liebe Zeit! (Good heavens!), the amount of magic I've seen him invent in this time. I was his teacher, in a way, and he kicked my ass to be a better magician. We argued about art, magic, theater, magic tricks, magic tricks and more magic tricks, about homeopathy and extraterrestrials... the normal stuff, you know. We developed new ways of thinking about magic and theater, and he developed trick after trick for me. I am very grateful for his existence, very grateful. And you will be too. Because his book is full of inspirations, ideas, and new material. You might not like everything, but that's okay. Look for the gems that fit your crown, and you'll see there will be many. Enjoy the ideas, the magic, and the creativity of Gonzalo Albiñana - a magician, a creator, and a friend. “

Imanol Ituiño:

“Despite being a book with some 365 ideas (and then some) and magic effects (and then some), don't read this book if all you want are 365 ideas or magic effects. Because I believe Gonzalo isn't just looking for that; he's not just seeking practicality, the pursuit of what's possible, or the creation of many effects. It's something else entirely. Gonzalo is the person who loves magic most in the world. I don't know anyone, nor do I believe there has ever been anyone, in the entire history of magic, who feels such respect, admiration, and love for tricks. Gonzalo is capable of watching magic shows in languages he doesn't understand. He endures shows by anonymous, battle-hardened magicians, recorded handheld, just to see if, among all the hackneyed, purchased material, there's anything worthwhile. He's watched all of YouTube. Several times. Gonzalo breathes magic. And that's why there will be times when we might think he's vehement, that he picks on the unmentionables (he even has a bone to pick with Slydini, Riesse, and Fitzkee!), or that he goes too far with what he says. But I promise you he doesn't do it from the stance of a father defending the one true way. To make a book like this, you undoubtedly have to love magic. And magic is Gonzalo's favorite toy. He is unique. His way of thinking, of seeing magic, of creating, of writing. Reading this book is getting to know a little better how his mind works. Reading it in order also equates to being part of his creative process. Seeing the evolution in these pages is impressive. Gonzalo Albiñana bares his soul (sometimes) in these pages and lets us see his vision of modern magic. Gonzalo pushes himself to the limit, not only trying to create an idea, concept, or improvement, but also crafting presentations that could stand alone as short stories. All within reach on the next page.”

Armando Magia:

With Gonzalo on the playing board, different methods emerge; you see hidden universes or you dismantle what was already established. And yes, this free and daring approach is what I like most. I believe that to create and discover, you have to dare to play without limits, without established rules. Anything goes. Destroy, create, and above all, play in a frenzy of ideas. Does that ring a bell? Because that's Gonzalo. This is where the true hidden treasure lies.”

Ramó:

“The entire year is an uninterrupted display of creativity, but January 2020, in my opinion, is when he begins to descend into the depths, to the fundamental, to communicate ideas beyond magic. The tricks turn into stories, metaphors begin to shine (January 9th), or a tired classic is reinvented into an amazing effect (coming back from Valencia with a hangover, 50% of which was Nacho Diago's fault). Read this month carefully; here you'll find expressions of Gonzalo's soul that confront us with our own humanity. Walking and sometimes crossing the threshold of illusion. And the thing is, Gonzalo is an inspiring person day after day. I'm always thinking, "Would Gonzalo like what I'm doing?"”

Adrián Vega:

“What Gonzalo does, once again, is share with us his creativity, his ideas, his inventions, his versions, his "stories," his tales—in short, his entire imaginative world! And that's no small feat, folks, what am I saying, "small feat"? It's insane! Beyond all those wild ideas you're about to discover and that we'll now share together, what Gonzalo achieves in this book is to demonstrate that in the ART of magic (as he considers it and works to make it so), there are NO limits. It's truly incredible and inspiring, and perhaps even a little infuriating, everything he knows, understands, and shares with you. A multitude of credits, bibliography on every aspect covered in this book, close-up magic, stage magic, and even grand illusions. Thank you, Mr. Albiñana, for your generosity, your knowledge, your passion, and for continuing to make us better magicians, better artists... because in art... there are no limits!”

Jon Zabal:

“What happens when you read an effect you like in a magic book? Well, I don't know about you, reader, but for me, one of two things usually happens: an irrepressible desire to include it in my repertoire starts to invade me—a tendency I urgently try to suppress, ego stuff, you know—or I recognize one or more good ideas in it that I'll never use, but they brighten my day and make me feel satisfied for learning something intellectually stimulating. What a beautiful feeling that is! Sometimes, however, something else entirely happens, and I start to wish I could see the effect performed live, but not by me. Rather, as if I were just another spectator, letting myself be carried away by the dramaturgy, lighting, music, and other elements of the act. That feeling lingers with me for a few days, until the car behind me honks angrily to let me know the light has turned green and I can accelerate. Sometimes, I even imagine a specific magician (living or dead) performing it. My psychiatrist told me this is normal, nothing to worry about. Just to come back to his office if my imaginary friend tells me to kill people. Well, that exceptional feeling that only happens to me very rarely has occurred countless times while reading the text that will unfold before you next... Although I also admit that I've found several ideas to use in my own effects...”

Jose Fugy y Ana Puerta, Tuttilifamili:

“Gonzalo Albiñana, that colorful character who, when we met him, we added ten years to his age because knowing so much for someone his age can create that confusion. He's a genius with a capital G for Gonzalo, but what honors him most is the generosity with which he loves his work. For us, he's one of the most creative minds we know; in fact, we can't imagine creating a new show without his great help. And we don't mean that during that year of inventing a new effect every day, all the effects he wrote are masterpieces. No. There's crap, lots of it. But even if a third of the effects were crap, there would still be almost 250 good effects, and many of them are little gems. Please, let's not forget we're talking about inventing a new effect every day for a year. Believe us, we've experienced it firsthand. Let the reader reflect and consider if they would be capable of such a feat. Here you won't find just that; many are old acquaintances with adaptations that make them new. There's much more here. There's magic history, because Gonzalo is a magic historian. There are presentations that lean more towards theatrical staging, written in such a way that they could well be in a collection of short stories, because Gonzalo, besides being a journalist, is also an actor. There's creativity and imagination here, hundreds of open questions for the reader to answer. Here you'll find everything from micro-magic to grand illusions, and surely in most of them you'll find an "FP," because he has an obsession. We can't deny that we write these words from an absolute infatuation with him, because it was love at first sight, the kind that lasts a lifetime. Ideas bubble up for Gonzalo; his notebook is exhausted. But let's not confuse inspiration with a gift he possesses, a gift he cultivates with persistence and study. If only he put the same effort into eating well... We know few with such a deep love for magic; even less for manipulation, which for him isn't magic (we'll leave you to deal with the trouble and the hatred of the manipulators there). And he's also vegan, for the sake of consistency, though for a good glass of orujo cream, he might make an exception (Cristina, if you ever read this, it's time you knew).”

Miguel Ángel Gea:

“Magic, in its profound essence, holds far more than what we usually see, and some people free-dive to remind us of what lies beneath. Gonzalo has had the patience to educate himself, to explore other arts, and without straying from magic, to extract those gentle touches in the form of beautiful ideas. I advocate for books of ideas because you don't read them to take something from the author for yourself; rather, the author will draw something out of you that will be for you. The ideas you read will provoke your own ideas, and that will shape your magic. Gonzalo has a broad view of magic, yet at the same time, it's concentrated and centered on the magical feeling. He expands the impossible to encompass concerns addressed in other arts, but simultaneously, he ensures that the experience of magic always surrounds his proposals. His research work and its reflection demonstrate the importance he places on authorship in magic. He not only whispers to us the preeminence of creators, but also shows that this knowledge doesn't diminish creative capacity. Creativity is the constant engine of every day, and he doesn't falter in his daily work of scrutinizing his mind. This, undoubtedly, leads him to a free act and an art with fewer constraints. His freedom is reflected in the constant attempt to know and revitalize his knowledge in the form of a personal and original idea. This observation of the past and present when preparing his work does not lessen his critical ability. He sprinkles his texts with criticism, more or less veiled, from his magical perspective. The very way he approaches magic—how he conceives it, how he presents it, and how he writes it—is already a critique in itself when compared to the magical standard. Furthermore, whenever he can, he shows us a path where starting from the same origin leads to a different goal, and that, in itself, is another critique. He develops ways to present magic with elegance and originality, so you'll not only get to know this sensitive artist but also expand your magical knowledge and broaden your vision of magic.”

Ricardo Sánchez:

“I admit that massive, chaotic works really strike a chord with me. When it comes to these things, I'm all about extremes. Give me a well-finished book with someone's most personal material and super-detailed explanations. Or give me an idea book, with loose material that makes me want to get to work. What I don't want anymore are mediocre books. Compendiums of weak effects, somewhat tested but without real experience behind them. The problem is that almost everything published falls into this 'neither here nor there' category. I think if you've made it to June, you already know which side this book falls on. In fact, it doesn't fall on a side; it falls off the edge. And the edge is a point in its favor. One of the most ambitious idea books I can think of, and all of them are mind-opening and inspiring.”

Ramón Mayrata:

“For years, I identified Gonzalo Albiñana as a magician of shadows. Although I suspected that the shadows he projects with his hand movements are the negative image of another kind of magic happening in his head. This book allows us to glimpse what goes on within the convolutions of his brain, true high-speed highways that don't disdain the back roads either: The stream of consciousness of someone who can't stop thinking about how to optimize a technique, improve coverage, enhance an effect, or prolong an emotion. The result of a year in isolation is something like the nine volumes of "Tarbell," but in Albiñana's unique style. A particular style, because Albiñana oozes originality. In this book, we witness the magic of being unable to stop imagining. Gonzalo Albiñana's hands don't hold objects; they release ideas that push, leap, struggle, and transform. He is a magician who has more ideas than time to bring them to life. “

Nacho Diago:

“When Gonzalo called me to suggest I write my opinion, feelings, or comments for his project, of course, I didn't hesitate for a second. I said yes. And I did it for several reasons. First and foremost, out of the admiration I have for him. Gonzalo is a passionate, cultured person with an astonishing universe of his own, a lover of magic and all the arts he believes can enrich it, and best of all, tremendously generous. On top of that, we share a good friendship. But I accepted primarily because it seemed like a fascinating project. A project that reveals itself in the form of a diary, like a logbook of his magical thinking in which there is no filter. And perhaps this is the best part. He doesn't judge. He plays with himself to invent. He gets lost without fear, and that's where he finds. He dreams, and with the logic of dreams, he experiences different realities—sometimes totally incomprehensible, others pleasant, many implausible, some brilliant, even some that are meant to stay in a drawer for a long time, but all of them interesting. So… without quite knowing where to start… let's play!...”

Fernando Saldaña:

“It's Albiñana! And it's my misfortune: until yesterday or the day before, I thought that, thanks to my cell phone, I had all the knowledge in my pocket. Now I know I need to carry, besides the aforementioned cell phone, a generous book, ten or thirty notebooks to jot down ideas that spring to mind as I read… And a whole lifetime… No, more than one lifetime. An entire eternity to assimilate everything it contains. Thank you, Gonzalo. You've made me believe in reincarnation. I need other lives to continue learning from your work.”