In Urania and the Asclepiades, a magic lantern performance by Artemis Willis (in collaboration with lanternist Joel Schlemowitz), projected images from the fields of astronomy and medicine merge seamlessly on the screen, transporting us from the heavenly to the human and back, with possible detours.

Created for The Heart’s Knowledge: Science and Empathy in the Art of Dario Robleto, this performance explores how the lantern has connected popular audiences to the cosmos and microcosmos, often by way of ancient myths. Vignettes drawn from the work of women who lectured on the international circuit a century ago pay tribute to these underrecognized ladies of the lantern, while also creating new mythologies about women and screen media.

Featuring original magic lantern slides and a c.1890 mahogany biunial (or double) magic lantern combining two projectors in a single device.