Weird Italy

(4 Credits)

Italy is known as the homeland of poets and saints, but what about weirdos? This course turns stereotypes of Italy as the land of classicism inside out, focusing on its distinctively weird modern artistic production. From Giacomo Leopardi to Italo Calvino and modern "weirdcore," we will study landmark texts, films, and art across the 20th century. Leveraging contemporary theories of the weird and eerie, we will explore what it means for art to be weird, why it fascinates us, and how Italian culture distinctly shapes these aesthetics. No prior knowledge of Italian required.