Science fiction has long provided a platform for artists to create speculative worlds that envision possible futures, technological advancements, and biological evolution. For the past century, scientific concepts have influenced various art forms, from literature to cinema and visual art, fostering creativity and critical thinking about the future and prehistoric past of humanity. These speculative narratives have shaped the public’s perceptions of the human condition, raising fundamental questions about who we are, where we have been, and where we are going. Speculative Visions: Science Fiction and American Visual Culture brings together scholars from a variety of fields to explore the role of science fiction in 20th-century narrative art and visual culture. By seeking new, interdisciplinary perspectives on artworks made for mass reproduction alongside studio and fine art, the symposium will investigate the intersection of science, creative practice, and imaginative worldbuilding.   

Organized by the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and USC’s Visual Studies Research Institute presented in partnership with the Getty Foundation as part of their PST ART initiative (formerly Pacific Standard Time), ONE Archives, and USC Fisher Museum of Art. 

The program includes an exhibition walkthrough of Sci-Fi, Magick, Queer L.A.: Sexual Science and the Imagi-Nation led by curator Alexis Bard Johnson.

RSVP: https://lucasmuseum.org/rsvp