# David Blaine

> American illusionist and extreme performer

**Wikidata**: [Q353983](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q353983)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Blaine)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/david-blaine

## Summary
David Blaine is an American illusionist and extreme performer renowned for blending street magic with endurance art. Born David Blaine White on April 4, 1973, he is a multifaceted entertainer who has worked as a magician, stunt performer, actor, and autobiographer. His career, which began in 1997, is defined by high-profile public stunts that challenge human physical limits and redefine the genre of performance art.

## Biography
- **Born**: April 4, 1973 (United States)
- **Nationality**: United States (Citizenship: Q30)
- **Education**: Attended Q7142520 (specific institution name not provided in source)
- **Known for**: Mastering illusion, performing extreme endurance art, and executing street magic stunts
- **Employer(s)**: Not specified in source material (Independent performer)
- **Field(s)**: Illusionist, Stunt performer, Endurance art, Street magic, Acting, Autobiography

## Contributions
David Blaine's primary contributions lie in the evolution of performance art through extreme physical feats and the popularization of street magic.
- **Endurance Art Stunts**: He pioneered a genre of performance involving extreme hardship, such as surviving without food, water, or sleep for extended periods, and being encased in ice or suspended in water.
- **Street Magic**: He brought magic out of theaters and into public spaces, performing close-up illusions for random pedestrians, a genre known as "street magic."
- **Autobiography**: He authored an autobiography, documenting his life and career as a performer.
- **Film and Television**: He has acted in dramatic and comic productions, expanding the reach of his persona beyond live performance.
- **Public Record Setting**: Through various stunts, he has set numerous records in endurance and survival, documented by his work period starting in 1997.

## FAQs
**What is David Blaine's primary profession?**
David Blaine is primarily known as an American illusionist and extreme performer who specializes in endurance art and street magic. He also works as an actor, stunt performer, and has written an autobiography.

**When did David Blaine begin his professional career?**
His documented work period as a performer began in the year 1997, marking the start of his rise in the entertainment industry.

**What specific types of performance art does David Blaine practice?**
He is an expert in illusion, including sleight of hand and mental effects, as well as endurance art which involves performing stunts that require withstanding significant physical hardship.

**Does David Blaine have a background in acting?**
Yes, in addition to his magic and stunts, he is recognized as an actor who has worked in film, television, theatre, and radio productions.

**What is David Blaine's birth name?**
While professionally known as David Blaine, his full birth name is David Blaine White.

## Why They Matter
David Blaine matters because he fundamentally shifted the landscape of magic from stage-based illusion to visceral, real-world endurance and street-level interaction. By removing the traditional theater setting, he forced audiences to confront the reality of his feats, making the impossible seem tangible and immediate. His work in endurance art created a new subgenre of performance where the human body itself becomes the medium, influencing a generation of performers to prioritize physical risk and psychological tension over traditional props. Without his innovations, the integration of extreme sports aesthetics with magic would likely have been delayed, and the public's perception of what a "magician" could achieve would remain confined to the stage. His ability to generate global attention through solitary, high-stakes stunts demonstrated the power of simple, direct performance in an era of complex media.

## Notable For
- **Endurance Art**: Pioneering performance pieces involving extreme physical hardship and survival.
- **Street Magic**: Popularizing the genre of performing magic for random pedestrians in public spaces.
- **Illusion Mastery**: Demonstrating advanced techniques in sleight of hand, mental effects, and escapes.
- **Stunt Performance**: Executing dangerous physical feats that blur the line between magic and survival.
- **Acting Career**: Appearing in dramatic and comic productions across film, television, and radio.
- **Autobiography**: Authoring a written account of his life and career.
- **Longevity**: Maintaining an active professional career since 1997.
- **Identity**: Being an American citizen born in the United States.
- **Name**: Operating under the name David Blaine White.

## Body

### Early Life and Identity
David Blaine was born on April 4, 1973, in the United States. His full name at birth is David Blaine White. He holds citizenship in the United States, a country located primarily in North America. As a member of the human species (*Homo sapiens*), he is a unique extant individual within the genus *Homo*. His identity is rooted in the American cultural context, where he developed his unique style of performance.

### Professional Roles and Occupations
David Blaine holds multiple professional titles within the entertainment industry. He is classified as an illusionist, an artist who masters illusion including stage magic and painting. He is also a magician, a performing arts entertainer who demonstrates magical techniques such as sleight of hand, mental effects, and escapes. His work extends to being a stunt performer, a person who performs stunts, and an actor who acts in dramatic or comic productions for film, television, theatre, or radio. Additionally, he is an autobiographer, having written his own life story. He is also recognized as a street artist, performing in public places for gratuities.

### Career Timeline and Work Period
His professional work period is documented as starting in 1997. This marks the beginning of his public career as a performer. Throughout his career, he has maintained a presence in the field of performance art. His work is associated with the genre of endurance art, which involves hardship, and street magic, a specific genre of magic performance.

### Performance Style and Specializations
Blaine's work is characterized by two main pillars: illusion and endurance. As an illusionist, he creates the impression of the supernatural or impossible through technical mastery. In the realm of endurance art, he engages in performances that involve significant physical hardship. This includes stunts that test the limits of human survival. His approach to street magic involves bringing these performances directly to the public, often in uncontrolled environments. He is known for his ability to perform without the traditional trappings of a stage, relying instead on his physical presence and the reactions of the audience.

### Media Presence and Digital Footprint
David Blaine has a significant digital and media footprint. He maintains an official website at https://davidblaine.com/. His social media presence includes handles on Twitter (X) and Instagram under the username "davidblaine," and on Facebook as "DavidBlaine." He has a dedicated page on Wikipedia titled "David Blaine." Various databases and directories list him under different identifiers, including ISNI (0000000078714581), VIAF (65066869), GND (128726962), and Library of Congress (n2002103677). He is also listed in IMDb with the ID nm0086145. His Wikidata ID is Q107986049 (derived from the instance of Q5 and other properties). He has a sitelink count of 36 across various language Wikipedias.

### Personal Details and Identifiers
Beyond his professional life, specific identifiers link to his personal data. His birth date is recorded as April 4, 1973. He is associated with the entity Q7142520 regarding his education, though the specific institution name is not detailed in the source. His occupation codes include Q2914170, Q18814623, Q33999, Q15855449, Q1658894, Q465501, Q107986049, and Q111844534. He is an instance of Q5 (human). His field of work is Q2594848. He has various other unique identifiers such as P2397 (UCS1lj4kyIrWBqZ5YQHWgT5w) and P2600 (6000000027854055875).

### Artistic Impact and Genre Definition
David Blaine has played a crucial role in defining the modern genre of street magic and endurance art. By performing in public spaces, he democratized the experience of magic, making it accessible to anyone on the street rather than just ticket-holders. His endurance stunts have pushed the boundaries of what is considered possible for the human body, creating a new standard for performance art. His work as an actor and autobiographer has further cemented his status as a cultural figure beyond just a magician. The combination of these roles has allowed him to influence a wide range of media and entertainment sectors.

### Data and Metadata Context
The data surrounding David Blaine is extensive, with numerous identifiers linking him to global databases. These include P18 (image reference), P213, P214, P227, P244, P345, P373, P434, P569 (birth date), P646, P1263, P1280, P1472, P1477, P1559, P1617, P2002, P2003, P2013, P2163, P2397, P2600, P2605, P2611, P2949, P3368, P3417, P4666, P4985, P5361, P5421, P5436, P6200, P6640, P7704, P8125, P8687 (likely related to performance metrics or records), P9743, P10302, P10608, P10832, P11194, P11245, P11386, P11892, P12098, P12854, and P13591. These identifiers ensure his presence is accurately tracked across the internet and academic sources. The source material also notes a sitelink count of 36, indicating his widespread documentation.

## References

1. [Source](http://www.tvguide.com/shows/david-blaine-magic-man-359774/)
2. MusicBrainz
3. IMDb
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. CONOR.SI
6. BBC Things
7. Quora
8. YouTube API
9. [Source](https://www.podchaser.com/creators/david-blaine-107ZzpvPW7/appearances)
10. The Movie Database