Julien Dauphin – Contemporary Artist

Julien Magic transforms illusion into contemporary art, from UN human installations to striking works at Moderna Museet. Explore his art that bridges wonder, connection, and digital culture.

Julien Dauphin—internationally known as Julien Magic—is a contemporary artist whose work bridges magic, visual art, conceptual practice, and digital media. After more than a decade of private exploration, his practice is now being presented within contemporary art and international institutional contexts, with thousands of previously unseen sketches and visual studies marking a significant shift in focus and intention.

At the heart of Julien’s work is a simple but powerful idea:
turning a sense of wonder into real connection.

First recognized for reshaping magic and illusion in the digital era, Julien has expanded beyond performance into a visual language that questions perception, belief, and connection. As Delphine Jonkheere writes, “illusion ceases to be an effect and becomes a conceptual instrument”—a critical tool that reveals rather than conceals.  Le Magazine de l’Art - Art Mag

In 2019, Julien collaborated with the United Nations and SIDA, creating human art installations around the Global Goals, emphasizing collective presence and engagement. That work placed social purpose at the center of artistic experience.

In autumn 2024, he was invited by Moderna Museet in Stockholm to create a human sculpture—sleeping with his head resting on a Kalashnikov—an image described as both brutal and fragile, confronting violence, intimacy, and politics in one striking gesture.

Julien’s ability to evoke wonder is central to his art. As Swedish cultural thinker Stina Oscarson reflected after experiencing his work: “I have regained the ability to wonder.” (Jag har återfått förmågan att förundras.”) Svenska Dagbladet

Alongside his artistic evolution, Julien remains the world’s largest digital magician, with over 18 million followers and more than 100 billion views worldwide. His global presence functions not just as reach, but as a contemporary medium that amplifies and informs his artistic voice, positioning him at the intersection of digital culture and institutional art.