In this witty; erudite; and thoroughly researched book; art historian John Moffitt discusses the popular iconography depicting alleged extraterrestrial (ET) visitors and the widespread appeal of this New Age craze as a mass cultural phenomenon. A thorough skeptic; Moffitt is interested in kitschy ET portraiture; not as evidence of aliens among us; but for what this imagery reveals about contemporary culture. By brilliantly placing the present cultural moment in historical context; he demonstrates how typical portrayals of aliens reflect long-running (even ancient) cultural motifs.Whether we realize it or not; among ETs precursors are the ecstatic maenads of ancient Greek art; early depictions of Christ in Byzantine icons; the religious visions shown in 15th-century Spanish paintings; and the popular images of witches and incubi from the 18th and 19th centuries. Today; in our postmodern space age; these timeless figures of imagination and art have taken on the otherworldly trappings of alien creatures. By the same token; centuries-old beliefs; whether in nature gods and goddesses; demons; witches; Satan; or saints; have evolved into the current New Age mythology that often surrounds the stories and pictures connected with aliens. Fueled by a huge entertainment industry; mass media; and the relentless profit drive of capitalism; alien imagery has become ubiquitous; and in the process the line between fantasy and reality ever harder to discern.This sweeping and above all entertaining perusal of popular culture presents a sophisticated yet very accessible and often funny dissection of our current obsession with the possibility that "we are not alone."
#413701 in eBooks 2001-06-07 2001-06-07File Name: B0037CDQHM
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