The DePaul Humanities Center will kick off its 2016-17 season with an event about Mars, as part of its series "The Humanities in Spaaaace." (Image courtesy of iStock)CHICAGO — A NASA scientist who turns Mars
Curiosity rover data into art, the filmmaker of cerebral zombie flick
“Pontypool,” and a discussion on the ethics of voting will kick off the DePaul University
Humanities Center’s 2016-17 season. The center fosters discussion and research
in the arts and humanities on campus and among the greater community. Events are
free and open to the public and will be held in the Student Center, Room 120,
at 2250 N. Sheffield Ave. on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus.
“One of the center’s themes this year is an
investigation into the relations among the humanities, arts and space sciences,”
said Professor H. Peter Steeves, director of the center. “We will feature NASA
scientists, and Chicago’s Beethoven and Bach ensemble will play rarely heard
works for strings, fortepiano and voice.
“For this year’s Horror of the Humanities, we
will watch one of the greatest, scariest, and most semiotically nuanced zombie
films ever made, ‘Pontypool,’” said Steeves. Fall events include:
The
Humanities in Spaaaace!: Mars
Oct. 17
Film screening of “The Martian” 4:30-7 p.m.
Performances and lectures 7-9 p.m.
A NASA scientist and baroque quartet will
appear during this celebration of the red planet. The evening will begin with a
screening of the 2015 movie “The Martian.” Following the film, Chicago’s
Beethoven and Bach Ensemble will perform works including “The Descent of Mars”
from Jean Baptiste Lully’s “Thésée” (1675), as well as music composed by lutenist
Vicenzo Galilei, the father of ancient
astronomer Galileo. Lectures will address science fiction’s treatment of Mars,
as well as the melding of science and art in visualizing telemetry data from
the Mars Curiosity rover. The great “canal controversy” of the late-1800s,
which led to claims about Martian landscape, geography and culture, also will
be discussed. Martian treats will be provided to the first 100 audience members
in attendance. Guests include:
- Chris Pak, editor of “The Science Fiction
Research Association Review.”
- Rachel Binx, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- K. Maria D. Lane of the University of New
Mexico’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies.
- The Bach and Beethoven Ensemble, which
includes Brandi Berry on baroque violin, Kiyoe Matsuura on baroque violin, Anna
Steinhoff on viola da gamba and Dave Walker on theorbo.
The Horror
of the Humanities IV: “Pontypool”
Oct. 26
Everyday horrors haunted house presentation 6-6:30 p.m.
Film screening of “Pontypool” 6:30-8:15 p.m.
Conversation with film director Bruce McDonald and star Stephen McHattie 8:15-9
p.m.
The DePaul Humanities Center’s fourth-annual Halloween event begins with an
avant-garde “haunted house” featuring multimedia, interactive posters,
installation art, and exhibits pointing to the horror of everyday life. The
display also explores the relationship between horror and the history of the
humanities. The evening continues with a screening of the zombie film “Pontypool,”
and concludes with a talk and Q&A with the film’s director, Bruce McDonald,
and its star, Stephen McHattie.
Transformations:
Why You Shouldn’t Vote Tomorrow
Nov.
7, 7-9 p.m.
The final event this fall is a discussion
about the ethics of voting. “This event promises to be a lively and
untraditional take on the U.S. election and political process in general,” said
Steeves. “I think it will challenge those in attendance to consider their own
political beliefs and identities.” Following the on-stage discussion, there
will be time for questions and comments from the audience. Scheduled
participants include:
- Colman
McCarthy, former columnist for The Washington Post, and current director of The Center for Teaching Peace in
Washington, D.C.
- R.L.
Stephens II, Chicago activist, labor organizer and co-founder of Orchestrated
Pulse.
- Stephanie
McMillan, cartoonist, author and organizer.
- Jibran
Ludwig, a student from Shimer College.
- The Meijer
Twins, authors, teachers, artists.
- Pete
Parsons, improv comedian.
More events are scheduled for the winter and
spring, including a discussion with Royal Ballet Principal Edward Watson, Feb. 16.
In June, the final event of the season will celebrate 50 years since the
release of the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Learn more
about the center and upcoming events at http://bit.ly/DPUHmCtr.
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Source:
H. Peter Steeves
psteeves@depaul.edu
Media
Contact:
Kristin Mathews
kristin.mathews@depaul.edu
312-362-7735