SYLLABUS — Frank Albo

SALON I

Archetypal Mythemes and Monomyths

Before the ancient Greeks codified the language of myth into epic tales of heroic adventure, the mythographers of the ancient world looked to the order of the cosmos for the common ancestry of humankind. Is it possible that the will of the Gods and their lofty domain are really ciphers for celestial motion? This first of three six-session interactive video salons takes this entire approach in reverse and empowers participants to look to our oldest terrestrial symbols, tales, and mythemes for a recurring meta-story that will lay the foundation for the new myth of Astana. Dr. Albo will navigate us through a gripping exploration of such age-old archetypes as the Golden Thread, Symbolism and Image Magic, Axis Mundi, Microcosm and Macrocosm, Hierophany, and the Tree of Life.

SALON II

The Mythopoesis of City-Planning

This online interactive salon traces the development of mythopoeic conceptions of design from the architecture of the Heavenly Jerusalem to the alien architecture of Astana. This salon reveals an underground stream of aesthetic principles permeating the construction of our buildings, churches, gardens, and cities, and poses new questions about the power of architecture and vision of the modern world. Sessions include: the Consciousness of Place; the Cosmological City: the Eagle and Civilization; Utopian Architecture; Magical Gardens; and the ‘Etruscan Rite’ – ceremonial town planning.

SALON III

The Architecture of Paradise

Since the dawn of recorded history, cities of extraordinary splendor have enthralled the imagination of philosophers, kings, poets, and dictators. From Plato to Campanella, the longing to recreate a perfect society runs through the whole of civilization and has even underscored the foundations of modern America. This online interactive salon peers into annals of time to show how Astana is the latest reiteration of that age-old longing to rebuild the architecture of paradise. Sessions include: Deus Faber; the Temple and Mountain; Heavenly Jerusalem; Ritualized Architecture; Morphologies of Sacred Space; and the Apotheosis of Astana.

Requirements

Broadband/high-speed Internet connection, web browser, desktop or notebook computer.
iPhones and iPads are NOT supported.