STIGMATA represents the cultural contradictions of the American South through horror SFX and Southern Gothic allegory.
A man prepares to stab the final spike into his foot, completing an array of wounds which comprise the Christian Stigmata. This symbolic act, made in reference to the 5 wounds of Christ, is remembered historically for its use in many scams and fraudulent claims to divine power. Through horror and confrontation, STIGMATA offers a parallel to our current political moment.
Conservatism continues to exercise a frightening ability to slow and reverse social progress. Through targeted political campaigns against refugees, LGBTQ+ individuals, racial minorities, and many more marginalized groups, the Right has managed to create a world where they are the victims of others’ stories.
Through research into the Southern Gothic literary tradition, historic resistance to civil rights movements in the United States, and horror genre tropes, STIGMATA questions the right's growing dependence on performative self-victimization as a tool for halting social progress.
Stigmata is accompanied by a publication, further exploring the themes of the piece through essays and short fiction
