Marco Tempest spins a beautiful story of what magic is, how it entertains us and how it highlights our humanity — all while working extraordinary illusions with his hands and an augmented reality machine.

Marco Tempest: Techno-illusionist

Marco Tempest’s imaginative combination of computer-generated imagery, quick-cut video and enthusiastic stage presence has earned him a place in the pantheon of great illusionists. At 22, the Swiss magician won the New York World Cup of Magic, launching him into international prominence. Tempest’s award-winning television series “The Virtual Magician” airs in dozens of countries worldwide, while his lively phonecam postings on YouTube, done without post-production and video-editing tricks to astonished people on the street, get millions of views (search on “virtualmagician”). His Vimeo channel showcases his artistic side — like his recent hypnotic series “levitation,” using a high-speed camera.

Through his art, Tempest creates a highly entertaining way to be entranced by the reality-bending tech magic that surrounds us all every day. Watch more Marco magic courtesy Scobleizer … or see Marco profiled on CNN.com’s Next List >>

He says: “I blend the line between what is incredibly real and what is incredibly not.”

Watch a video on the making of his augmented-reality illusion >>

via: http://www.ted.com/speakers/marco_tempest.html