SPIRITS AND LETTERS
The Imaginarium discourages checking either right or left brain at the door.
Both cranial hemispheres are required attire at this year's Cornerstone pop
culture banquet, as we dive into a sumptuous buffet featuring a balanced diet
of Word and Image. We'll be talking about language, and talking about image,
and asking whether talk about anything ever gives us the whole picture...
IS TALKING ABOUT FILM LIKE DANCING ABOUT ARCHITECTURE?
Translation is a common element in our seminar program, and we begin with a
linguistic look at the languages of Middle Earth. Our analysis of Elvish
will be done in the style of this year's featured Inkling, Owen Barfield, a
friend of and influence upon J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, whose most
original views of metaphor and perception make him indispensible in charting
the Inklingish understanding of the grammar of myth. The thuddingly dull
literalism of the Modern era (and the religious tradition shaped by that era)
has caused many to mistranslate myth, especially in its various contempory
pop culture forms, and we'll look at examples of both the mistranslation and
the myths — from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde —
following the example of Lewis, who always found high art in low culture.
Finally, our nightly film series will require a fair bit of translation as we
cross-cultures into a theme called Asian Spirits, a sampling
of pan-Asian fare from Studio Ghibli animé to recent "j-horror" classics.
(And don't forget to sign up early for an Imaginarium-style Karaoke bash on
Saturday night!)
Check out our seminars, meet our speakers, take note of the movies, and stay tuned for program updates and info on
the Imaginarium's new sister-program for kids at Cornerstone, sponsored by "Imagin' Dat".
For more on the 2003 Cornerstone Festival, see the official site. For more news
on the Imaginarium at Cornerstone 2003, including post-fest reports and
photos, plus year-round articles and reviews, stay tuned to the Imaginarium Online.
