Alchemy of Madness: Leonora Carrington's 'Down Below' - Talk by dama

The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles is a nonprofit cultural and educational organization which presents concerts, film screenings, lectures, performance art and theatre events, gallery exhibits and more on the intersection between the creative arts and mythology, mysticism and metaphysics.

The Philosophical Research Society

The lecture traces how Carrington's lifelong engagement with Celtic and Irish folklore converges in her visionary work, Down Below.

Philosophical Research Society

The Alchemy of Madness: Fairy Tale Archetypes, Feminine Transformation, and Surrealist Vision in Leonora Carrington's Down Below by dama Leonora Carrington's Down Below (written 1943) occupies a singular place in the surrealist canon: it is a dreamscape composed in first-person, retrospectively narrated account of an actual psychotic break, forced institutionalization, and near-fatal "treatment" in a Santander asylum in 1940. This lecture argues that Carrington's genius lies in her refusal to separate clinical horror from enchantment and she narrates her breakdown using the grammar of fairy tale (transformation, animal familiars, magical numbers, quest and trial, the wicked captor, the wise helper) while never letting that grammar soften or mythologize the real violence of psychiatric abuse she suffered. Where the male surrealists treated madness, hysteria, and the "convulsive" female body as raw material for aesthetic revelation, Carrington writes from inside the convulsion, reclaiming the fairy tale's structures of transformation as tools of psychic survival and feminist self-authorship rather than male-authored objects of fascination. The lecture traces how Carrington's lifelong engagement with Celtic and Irish folklore, alchemical symbolism, and the fairy tale's logic of metamorphosis converges in Down Below to produce a text that is simultaneously a trauma narrative, a feminist critique of surrealism's treatment of women, and a work of visionary literature in its own right. dama (aka Amanda Maciel Antunes) is a Brazilian artist and occult practitioner based in Los Angeles, raised in rural southeast Brazil. Working in direct lineage with the surrealist tradition she now studies and teaches, her autodidactic, transdisciplinary practice treats conjuring as method; using bibliomancy, automatism, and mediumship to bridge language and ritual through painting, performance, writing, sound, film, and assemblage. Durational by design, her projects often unfold over years, approaching the arcane as both research and revelation, in a practice of self-authored transformation that runs parallel to the very archetypes at the heart of this lecture. She is a librarian at the Philosophical Research Society, where she founded the Surrealist Study Group and her monthly class for children and families Mystic Makers. She is currently an artist cohort member at the Center for Deep Listening. Suggested Supplementary Readings<ul><li>Carrington, Leonora. The Hearing Trumpet (1974)</li><li>Chadwick, Whitney. Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement. Thames &amp; Hudson, 1985.</li><li>Warner, Marina. From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1994</li><li>Aberth, Susan. Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art. Lund Humphries, 2004.</li><li>Bettelheim, Bruno. The Uses of Enchantment (1976)</li></ul> Tickets: $12 (in person event)Please email events@prs.org or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions. Through Mirrors, Webs, &amp; Woods: A Month of Folk &amp; Fairy Tales at PRSThis September, PRS celebrates the many wonders of fairytales and folk stories through a series of illustrated presentations, film screenings, and workshops!

Leonora Carrington’s Self-Portrait (Inn of the Dawn Horse) (1937–1938)

Leonora Carrington. Green Tea, 1942

CONTENT DISCLAIMERThe views, opinions, and thoughts expressed by the presenters are solely those of the presenter and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Presentations are intended for informational and entertainment purposes. ACCESSIBILITYPRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to events@prs.org before showtime and we will be happy to assist you. REFUND POLICIESAll sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for PRS events. If an event is cancelled entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers will be offered for a rescheduled event, and ticket holders will be notified. PARKING​We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking. Street parking is available on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east). For ADA assistance, please reach out to us in advance via email (events@prs.org) or phone (323.663.2167) and provide an email or number we can contact you at. PRS EVENT POLICIES<ul><li>We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.</li><li>Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.</li><li>We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.</li><li>Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.</li><li>No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.</li><li>There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.</li><li>We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.</li><li>PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.</li><li>Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.</li><li>Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.</li></ul>

And Then We Saw the Daughter of the Minotaur, 1953

Alchemy of Madness: Leonora Carrington's 'Down Below' - Talk by dama

More events from The Philosophical Research Society

Discover more events from The Philosophical Research Society, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Los Angeles and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Alchemy of Madness: Leonora Carrington's 'Down Below' - Talk by dama

More events from The Philosophical Research Society

Discover more events from The Philosophical Research Society, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Los Angeles and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.