2026 Tracy Lecture: Reconsidering the Myth of Icarus in Modern and Contemporary Reception
April 22, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Location
University Hall 1501
Calendar
Download iCal File"Reconsidering the Myth of Icarus in Modern and Contemporary Reception"
This talk looks at reworkings of classical stories that challenge the idea that beauty (or aesthetic value) belongs first and foremost to the ancient "original."
Scholars have treated Greek and Roman texts as untouchable models— sources that later generations admire and therefore adapt in a continuous cycle. But Black writers and artists have long taken a different approach. Their work shows how classical myths can be transformed. Focusing on the myth of Icarus, I'll look at how Black artists return to this figure-sometimes as a symbol of hope and daring, other times of danger or loss.
Date posted
Apr 3, 2026
Date updated
Apr 3, 2026