Misdirections w/ artist Carl Diehl

On Thursday, August 22nd, Portland based artist Carl Diehl presents Misdirections: Details, Detours, & Derivations from the Life of Werner “Dorny” Dornfield, a film that delves into the life of his grand-uncle Dorny, a popular entertainer in the first half of the 20th century. Embellished with animation and vaudeville era ephemera, this history includes Harry Houdini, prohibition era pranks, a WWI variety theater troupe, and the American Museum of Magic.

But Misdirections is full of its own misdirections, a world bigger than the portrait it appears to be.  Carl unveils the social scaffolding of creative problem-solving through a collage-like constellation of conversations with historians, magicians, contemporary artists, and Dorny’s oldest surviving relatives. What begins as the story of the magician Werner “Dorny” Dornfield, splinters into a mosaic of many riddles and revelations about art, magic and everyday life.

Misdirections is based on research, interviews, and writing that Carl first produced as a zine-like book in 2022. Tonight’s event features an introduction by Carl Diehl, then a screening of his newly completed film, followed by Q+A.  Copies of the Misdirections book will be available for purchase.