Demons, Monsters, and Pre-Modern Race with Kris Rac (Saturdays)
Instructor: Kris Rac
Weekly: October 30, November 6, November 13, November 20, December 4, December 11
Time: 11am-1:00pm (EST)
Length: 2 Hours
Where: Studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Vaccination Policy: We require proof of vaccination in the form of an email with an image of your vaccination card or online proof. You will receive an email 2 weeks before the start of the course with further instructions.
In manuscripts and narratives recording Saints Lives we find non-local characters frequently described as satanic devil worshipers. In Mappa Mundi “others” are described as demonic or monstrous, pushed physically to the margins of geography. In chronicles and histories, we find descriptions of genetic mutants and reoccurring binaries of blackness and whiteness. The medieval world was filled with demons in both Christian and Islamic narratives. This course will examine a few of those narratives and unpack their impact in the present, traveling from medieval literature to contemporary art and film appropriations. We will cover the impact of the demonic body on medieval theories of race, class, gender, sexuality and beyond.
About this class:
In person classes for 6 weekly - 2 hour classes
Weekly presentations on critical topics from art history surrounding medieval constructions of race, gender, and sexuality taught through the lense of the “demonic body”
Student led presentations and critiques
Exchange ideas about critical social issues in relation to historical art
Get weekly prompts + challenges to reinvigorate each artist’s approach to research in relation to their artistic practice.
End of the semester field trip to the Morgan Library to view medieval manuscripts
Weekly list of suggested films, readings and exhibitions to see from Faculty
Amanda Nedham
Nedham completed her BFA at OCAD University in Printmaking, her MFA at RISD in Painting, and resides in Brooklyn. Her practice is interdisciplinary with an emphasis on drawing. In 2018 she published a book of letters and drawings titled, 'My Boyfriend is a Peacekeeper', and has recently exhibited in Brussels, Copenhagen, Toronto, and New York. Nedham is a co-founder of Below Grand gallery and runs their Deep Field residency program.