CalArts Critical Studies Residency: Presentations by steven chen and Kristen Lopez

The last event hosted in conjunction with ‘Extensions of Horror’, organized by CalArts Critical Studies Resident, Jessica Wawra (Kesselring), join steven chen and Kristen Lopez for a discussion about how contemporary horror films can address, challenge, and deconstruct systems of oppression. chen will present a discussion called ‘Inert Horrors of the Anthropocene’, which traces how new materialisms have flooded, eroded, and retextured the landscapes of contemporary philosophy, destabilizing our senses of the human and its relation to forms of Life and Nonlife. After, Lopez’s presentation will focus on disability in horror by taking us through a chronological analysis and addressing tropes & stereotypes of disability [mis]representation in horror. This event is free, however due to extremely limited capacity, reservations are recommended. Please reserve here.   About the Speakers steven chen is a Shanghai and Los Angeles based artist currently studying at CalArts. his practice, informed by his background in pathetic art and critical theory, concerns the relations between fear, trauma, and emergency, innocuous misanthropy, and a vigilant devotion to materiality. he is the proud proprietor of one cat, zero dogs, and three pairs of shoes. Kristen Lopez is a disabled freelance Rotten Tomatoes-affiliated film critic and pop culture essayist whose work has been published on Forbes.com, The Hollywood Reporter, Roger Ebert, and MTV. She is also the creator and host of the podcasts ‘Ticklish Business’ and ‘Citizen Dame’. The event is hosted in conjunction with CalArts critical studies resident Jessica Wawra (Kesselring) and her project, ‘Extensions of Horror’ on view in the Book & Printed Matter Lab.