visionary fiction
“ I must create a system, or be enslaved by another man’s. I will not reason and compare: my business is to create.”
Today, especially in Silicon Valley, "visionary" is frequently used as a term of praise for leaders of industry. But the name has much deeper roots. Throughout history, "visionaries" were seen as much more radical figures—dangerous minds who challenged cultural, religious, and intellectual norms and all too often suffered persecution for their efforts. It is in this sense that we will take the visionary as our guide to creative writing by engaging with visionary works from the medieval period to the contemporary.
But this is not your typical writing class. In this course, we will employ tactics culled from outsider artists, mystics, inspired musicians, and misunderstood poets to shock our imaginations into unforeseen directions and forge a radically experimental approach to the art of the short story. Drawing on various forms of media, such as writing, image, and sound, we will develop, draft, and share our own multimedia visionary fiction.
This class is offered both to individuals and small groups and tailored to the participant’s ability and interests.
Designed and instructed by Dr. Joshua Levi Ian Gentzke.