Averting Evil and the Affective Image

(4 Credits)

From pictographs and images to art and advertisements, images occupy an unparalleled affective place of authority in society; they influence our moods, feelings and attitudes and decisions. Amongst the many kinds of affective images, one of the most enduring is the apotropaic. Apotropaic images have the power to avert evil influences or bad luck. From the Gorgon Medusa, to BLM posters and LGBTQ+ flags, apotropaic images are ubiquetous in our society. This class will explore various forms of images and image technology that perform an affective operation in societies throughout history, as well as produce affective and apotropaic images and experiences of their own.