The Gothic [6-weeks, $180 Suggested]
Instructor: Stillman | Sundays May 2-June 6 | 5:00-7:00 PM ET
There are few aesthetic categories more powerful than the gothic, the artistic engagement with dark and mysterious forces. Spanning art and psychology, cosmology and kink, the gothic has a way of oozing out of any box we put it in and melting through whatever distinctions we design to control it. In this class we’re going to look at the theory and practice of the gothic, see how it works and how to create it, and we’re going to see what it can do. We’ll figure out what happens when we apply the laws of gothic fiction to scientific experimentation. We’ll consider what psychological concepts like trauma and the unconscious tell us about how gothic the human mind has become. We’ll explore the question of what makes uncanny artwork so creepy: is it because it’s so strange, or maybe because it’s somehow so hauntingly familiar? If you’re interested in human psychology, this class will give you some new ways into the problems of minds and bodies we can never fully control. If you’re interested in forgotten sciences, this class will expose you to some of the great paranormal researchers of the turn of the century, the golden age of parapsychology. If you’re interested in politics, this class will give you tools for thinking about the continuing powers of history to shape political change. And if you’re interested in making art of any kind, this class will expose you to concrete techniques for producing a range of gothic effects, forms and feelings
We depend on a mix of direct student donations and supplemental donations to make all classes pay-what-you-can. Please pick the pricing tier that corresponds with your needs and that you are able to pay now. If you would like to pay in installments, make your first payment now and make a note on your check-out form. If you would like to donate more later in the term, you can always come back and use the “Make a One Time Donation” button! To use a full scholarship, just pick the $3 tier to cover site/processor fees.
If at any point up to 48 hours before your first class session you realize you will be unable to take the class, we will work with you to reallocate your funds to a future class, to another student’s scholarship, or refund it. After classes begin, we are only able to make partial refunds and adjustments.