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 ET's 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."
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