Welcome to “HORROR!”, a podcast by the researchers of the charity University of the Underground’s Horror Programme. This tuition free programme was led by speculative designer Agi Haines from November 2021 to March 2022, as a critical exploration into illicit societal fears and a dive into horror as a complex tool and genre. In every episode of this series we will explore research topics from our projects, with the help of experts, practitioners, artists, and much more. Our host throughout this podcast series will be Necro, our cheeky demonic guide on a nightly journey full of ghosts, shadows, and inexplicable monsters…but no need to worry, as all our guests, human and non-human, have promised to stay in the studio. Be prepared, though: these encounters might easily transport into your homes some uncanny perspectives on our present.

In this episode, Agi Haines gives us some suggestions about dark tourism or contrafactual history. Our researcher Pauline Rip sits down with Geneviève Pigeon, whose work circles around foundation stories and mythologies linked to popular culture, to talk about false knowledge and the creation of a romanticized vision of the past. In the final segment Bestarium Compendium, Necro is joined for an exclusive interview by Zombistoric. Your musical accompaniment for this adventure tangles history, Gauls and Celtic culture.

Featuring:

Pauline Rip, French and Dutch, considering herself as a ‘hunter designer’ of ignored, mocked, marginalized, irrational and often false knowledge. In search of adventure and romance, she tracks down practices that explore alternative forms of truth

Agi Haines, speculative designer. Her work is focused on the design of the human body as a malleable object through which she explores how far we can push our living flesh while still being accepted by society.

Geneviève Pigeon, researcher with a master's degree in literary studies and a doctorate in religious studies on medieval literary objects. She is an associate researcher at the Breton and Celtic research center of the University of Rennes in France.

Pauline Rip as Zombistoric, an astonishing creature with the ability to transform itself into many different historical entities, mainly encountered at political rallies.

James Nola as Necromantique or Necro, our demonic host who pays homage to 80s cult horror, that will get your bones giggling.

Thank you for listening. We hope that this series will contribute to inspire, to communicate powerful messages, to expose enduring dynamics of the contemporary world and to challenge our understanding of its structures and taboos. If we didn't scare you enough, and you want to know more about our projects, join us for more episodes or visit https://universityoftheunderground.org!

Coordination, proof-listening: Veronika Hanáková, Ludovica BattistaScripting: Veronika Hanáková, Ludovica Battista, Pauline RipProduction, editing, music selection: Ludovica Battista, Pauline RipHosting: James Nola, Pauline Rip

TRACKLIST:CNN Predicts a Monster Storm - Laurie Anderson & Kronos QuartetThe Weight of History - Lisa LerkenfeldtFaut rigoler (Nos ancêtres les Gaulois) - Henri SalvadorIntro - GorillazCeltic edit - De Grandi