Odd Salon NYC to Present STELLAR At wild project
The performance will take place on July 31.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Jun. 25, 2025
FRIGID New York and Odd Salon will present ODD SALON NYC: STELLAR, curated by J.R. Pepper. The popular bi-monthly show will take place at wild project (195 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009) on Thursday, July 31 at 7pm (doors at 6:30pm).
Stories of astronomical discoveries and bad omens from the skies, Hollywood stars falling from grace, earth shattering objects falling from space, and how us little humans make sense of it all.
Speakers and Stories include:
Alexander Razo-Meyers with Illuminating the Stars of Screen: Karl Freund, and the Evolution of Cinema Lighting
One person who spans the arc from the beginnings of cinema is Karl Freund, German cinematographer who ties early film history together demonstrating the essential nature of the art and craft of cinematography (and things so basic as moving the camera in a scene) from pre-sound film, to "Metropolis," to the comparative modernity of "I Love Lucy."
Rain Wiegartner with Jack Parsons is Ludicrous
In the 1930s and 40s, an eccentric rocket scientist found one of the vitally important research institutions that brought humanity into space. At the same time, he was also trying to start the apocalypse using sex magic.
Sarah Grant with Galileo and his spoiled brat behavior that led to a feud with the Catholic Church.
Contrary to popular belief, Galileo was a spoiled brat academic who picked a fight with the Catholic Church, when they were actually ok with the science (at least, in theory). Ironically he originally thought he wanted to be a priest and sent his daughters to a convent. But spoiled brats are complex creatures who can't just leave well enough alone.
Amanda Harris with Shakespeare Supernova
When Shakespeare wrote of a new bright star to the west of the pole that appeared the same night as old King Hamlet's ghost, many historians were baffled. Which bright star? Forensic Astronomers took the case to identify the star in question, and believe they found the answer!
Maryellen DeVivo with The Man Who Fell to Earth? Nikola Tesla's Relationship with Air and Space
A star inventor who lit up the world, Nikola Tesla was one of the smartest and most fascinating individuals to ever inhabit this planet. This talk will focus on all things Tesla-related that travel through the air, including wireless communication, lightning, spaceships, and pigeons.
Carolyn Wise with We Know the Way: The Kon Tiki to Moana 2, Polynesian Celestial Navigation
No one knows where Polynesians first came from, but by 1000 BC they had covered over 6 million square miles of ocean. How did they do it? They followed the stars.
Odd Salon curates cocktail hour lectures highlighting strange-but-true stories from history, science, art, and adventure, live on stage, over cocktails. We bring experts and enthusiastic amateurs together to explore history's overlooked and under-told stories, from legends of lost cities to masters of art forgery, engineering failures to murderous sideshow performers, daring heists, questionable taxidermy, and tales of epic revenge. Sometimes with stick figures. Founded in San Francisco, in 2014 by Annetta Black, Tre Balchowsky, and Rachel James, Odd Salon is inspired by the salonnières of the Enlightenment, the illustrated lectures of the Victorian period, and a strong desire to tell weird stories in good company. After several years of hosting salons in San Francisco, in 2018 we expanded to add a new chapter in New York City. We are a community project, centered around a Fellowship of speakers and an extended family of Members, and we have partnered with amazing organizations including the California Historical Society, the Long Now Foundation, the California Academy of Sciences, the tall ships of the Grey's Harbor Historical Seaport, and the Exploratorium science museum. As a community-focused and mission-driven organization dedicated to the diffusion of unusual knowledge, we are proud to be a membership supported, fiscally sponsored project of the InterCulture Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization. https://oddsalon.com/
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