A Risk Society: Between Tragedy and Horror
A series of events combining the two genres through webinars, workshops, and a forum held by the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation from September 17th to September 22nd
From September 17th to 22nd, the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation will be hosting a program on Ancient Drama, which seeks to explore the interconnections between ancient theatre and the challenges of the modern age. From climate change, to the COVID pandemic, to the outbreak of violence the 21st century, our precarious era embodies German sociologist Ulrich Beck’s notion of a “risk society”.
Held at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens in conjunction with McGill University in Montréal, this six-day event features webinars, workshops, art exhibitions, and live performances that explore how contemporary horror aesthetics and concepts can be useful starting points for reinterpreting and reinvigorating elements of Greek tragedy today. Over twenty scholars from prestigious international universities including McGill University, The University of British Columbia, University of California Berkeley, University of Edinburgh, among others, will come together to discuss the affective and aesthetic connections between tragedy and horror. At the same time, performing artists from Canada, Greece, Italy and the UK will present and workshop horror-inspired creative approaches to Greek tragedy. This convergence of scholars and artists will produce a rich and varied dialogue around what both Greek tragedy and horror mean today.
Since 2012, the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation has been implementing the European Union program on Ancient Drama in collaboration with many renowned academic institutions, such as Stanford University, the University of Leeds, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Helsinki Academy in partnership with the Aalto College of Art and Design, la Fundación de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, the LabexArts-H2H (ArTeC) – Département Arts et Technologies de l’Image, Université Paris 8 Vincennes Saint-Denis, the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft of the University of Bonn, and more. The program mobilizes interdisciplinary research related to Ancient Drama and aims to promote dialogue while enhancing the way ancient drama is presented through performing and visual arts in the 21st century. This year, the MCF is implementing the program titled “Ancient Drama: Interdisciplinary and Cross Art Approaches”, co-funded by the European Union and the European Regional Development Fund, through the Regional Program “Attika,” in accordance with the Partnership Agreement 2021-2027
Apply for participation in this mailing address adrama@mcf.gr.
