The Gothic Festival celebrates art, literature, film on Mercer’s campus | Catch My Job

MACON – Mercer University will host its second Gothic Festival Oct. 26-29, featuring a few new additions to the inaugural Gothic-themed events held on the Macon campus last year.

Dr. Clara Mengolini, associate professor of Spanish literature, and Mark Jolley, senior lecturer in philosophy and director of Mercer University Press, organized this year’s festival.

Both professors shared an enthusiasm for all things Gothic, and they discovered other faculty members at Mercer who were similarly interested in Gothic art, literature, film, and more. For example, Dr. Jonathan Glance is a fan Frankenstein; Dr. Kevin Cummings has a class about monsters; and Dr. Thomas Bullington teaches Gothic literature in his INT course.

“Suddenly, we were a group of professors who all liked scary things, so we got together and planned this whole week,” Dr. Mengolini said.

The festivities, which are free and open to the public, begin Wednesday, when a panel of scholars will present their research in Connell Conference Room I from 6-7:30 p.m.

Topics include Patrick Joly discussing Gothic settings in prisons, schools, and hospitals, and the differences between Gothic in Latin America and the United States, inspired by author Maria Enrique. Mangolini

A screening of the film “Cat People” will be shown Thursday in Connell Conference Room I from 6-8:30 p.m., followed by a discussion led by Dr. Jacqueline Pinkowitz, assistant professor of media studies.

Friday’s game night will feature participants in a One Night Ultimate Werewolf contest in Connell Conference Room I from 6-10 p.m.

On Saturday afternoon, students will have the opportunity to win prizes for their submitted work during an art exhibit, contest and cosplay in Connell Conference Room I from 2-3:30 p.m.

The festival will conclude Saturday evening at 7:30 in the Tattnall Square Center for the Arts, with Scott Mann, associate professor of theater, directing students in a play called “Mercer Haunts: Chilling True Accounts of Darkness from Mercarians Past and Present.” Cosplay is welcome and encouraged.