Nuclear Family Christmas

The extended lead-in to the Christmas season seems to make as many people as melancholy and introspective as it makes others joyous and peaceful. But there's melancholy, and then there's "let's talk about the potential for the total devastation of an atomic war to reset our concept of time"; Daniel Grausam would like to discuss this deeper melancholy with you tonight at 6 p.m. during Beyond Thunderdome at White Flag Projects (4658 Manchester Avenue; 314-531-3442 or www.whiteflagprojects.org). Prethunderdome, the current exhibition at White Flag, examines theories of societal collapse, so you can see why Grausam, author of the forthcoming book On Endings: Postmodern American Fiction and the Cold War, would be thinking along apocalyptic lines already. Also on tap is a performance by artist Ronnie Bass and a screening of recently declassified nuclear weapons test films — the ultimate light show! All joking aside, if the choice is another screening of The Christmas Shoes or intellectual discourse on artistic representations and real outcomes of nuclear Armageddon, who wouldn't opt for the blinding white light of infinity? Tonight's program is free.
Thu., Dec. 17, 2009