Observatory is a Brooklyn arts and events space that’s interested in the intersections of art and science, history and curiosity, magic and nature. Pretty much the best intersections. It’s run by a collective of seven artists and art curators who want to create a home for “kindred geeks”, inspired by the 18th-century idea of rational amusement. This last week I started work with them on a podcast!
Last Friday I recorded Mitch Horowitz‘s talk on The Secret History of the Ouija Board. He told a really interesting history of mysticism in the United States. I learned that the movement was largely interconnected with the women’s suffrage movement in the early 20th century. Apparently, the heightened role of women in mysticism (women, not men, were usually the mediums) attracted a number of the historical figures we now credit for helping women get the vote. The full lecture should be up on the Observatory website soon.
This Friday I’ll be covering the lecture Perceptions of Motion by MIT researcher and choreographer Nell Breyer.
The idea right now is to produce a monthly podcast highlighting Observatory’s people and events. I’m excited to see what we come up with!