A well-known Saudi illusionist is planning to make one of the three pyramids in Egypt disappear in a major event for which he has invited Arab and foreign media, a Saudi newspaper reported on Monday.
Ahmed Al-Bayed, an internationally-acclaimed magician, said negotiations with the Egyptian authorities had reached an advanced stage and the event could be staged in mid 2011.
“I have invited the Arab and foreign media for this event, in which I will make one of the pyramids disappear,” he said, quoted by the Arabic language daily Masdr and other Saudi papers.
“This project has been on top of my dreams in the world of visual illusions…in return for hiding the pyramid, I will get $one million.”
Al-Bayed refused to say how he will make the pyramid vanish but said it would be a mere visual trick that has nothing to do with “witchcraft or talking to the jinn (genies).”
“It is an art of optical illusion and physics which is known to many talented illusionists in the world…..I am not obliged to explain these tricks because this will kill the excitement in such events.”
Ahmed was born in the western Red Sea port of Jeddah, the son of Muslim parents. His mother, Maha Wadi, an article writer in many national newspapers, was born in Beirut and his father Saleh El Bayed, a Saudi-Palestinian business man, owns the agency of Swarovski Crystals in Saudi Arabia and many other agencies.
Ahmed was raised in Jeddah, with one brother, Hamza, and two sisters, Reem and Dina. He started his passion with magic and illusions at the age of five, when his mother taught him a small trick. Then when he was 11, his father sent him to study in the International School of Choueifat in Britain. He then moved to Dover College at the age of 12. In these years he was teaching himself magic 9illusion) and doing some card manipulation in school and in his area.
He later travelled to complete his studies in the university in Los Angeles, the United States, after completing his high school, where he used to do so many private and public shows.
In 2003, Ahmed returned to Saudi Arabia with the goal of being the first Arabic illusionist to ever bring this art at a high level to the Middle East. He succeeded in becoming and being labeled as the Middle East Pioneer illusionist in all newspapers and Arabic TV stations.
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