Ahead of advaya's upcoming online course: Dionysus: Rave, Ritual and Revolution, we speak with curator and host Chiara Baldini all about Dionysus. In this webinar, we dove into the mythology, history and culture around Dionysus, one of the most intriguing deities of Western culture. The god of fertility, dance, vegetation, wild nature, ambiguity and egalitarianism sounds like the perfect match who will not disappoint us with the gifts of his mysteries. What role did ecstatic practices play in his rituals? Who were his followers and what were the reactions of the Greek and Roman authorities to their unruliness? What are the pre-patriarchal elements of these practices and what can we learn from them today?
Hover over the video to reveal timestamps to find specific topics of interest in this webinar. Be sure to click the 'CC' button to turn on closed captions.
In this course: Dionysus: Rave, Ritual & Revolution, you will explore the many facets of the cult of Dionysus aka Bacchus, as one of the many “masks” of the most ancient human religious practice that in the Greek and Roman times took the form of the worship of the god of vegetation, fermentation, fertility, ritual sexuality, ecstasy, (spiked)wine, theatre, queerness, madness, dance and… revolution!
With a solid foundation in academic research and archaeological, iconographical and literary evidence, you will delve into the mythological, historical and anthropological dimensions of the Dionysian cult. Expect to be taken on an exciting journey through the bewildering visuals of ancient frescos, vase paintings, jewelry, textiles, architecture, weaving the narratives of established knowledge with those of the latest research, where a queer-feminist lens is taken as a reference, but also questioned in its most extreme positions.
Are you ready? Dionysus is waiting for you.
Chiara Baldini
taught by Chiara Baldini