Dante Today

Citings & Sightings of Dante's Works in Contemporary Culture

Tyler E. Boudreau, Packing Inferno: The Unmaking of a Marine (2008)

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tyler-e-boudreau-author-of-packing-inferno-the-unmaking-of-a-marine“Mr. Boudreau’s book, Packing Inferno (Feral House, $16.95), is an uncompromising narrative of his experiences in Iraq and his struggle to deal with the human consequences, both in the Middle East and, later, at home. His writing is vivid, detailed and filled with emotion.

“The book’s title refers to his having discovered that, among other books, he had packed Dante’s Inferno when he was deployed to Iraq, in what appeared to be a prescient move as the months went by. Mr. Boudreau writes this about a few tense moments when he and his men had to decide what to do when a truck heading in the wrong direction barreled toward them on the shoulder of the road” [. . .]    –Pamela H. Sacks, Telegram, March 1, 2009

Dante’s HiFi in Miami

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dantes-hifi-interior“Dante’s HiFi isn’t looking to be Miami’s next megaclub or — God forbid — another Tulum-inspired hot spot. Instead, its claim to fame is a more modest one: It’s the city’s first Japanese-style listening bar.

“For those unfamiliar with the concept, Japan’s listening bars are an audiophile’s dream — a place where you can sit down, drink, and feast your ears on the expertly curated playlist. The quality of the speakers, amps, turntables, and mixers are just as important as the cocktails being served. As Resident Advisor notes about the culture: ‘It’s rooted in the joy of discovering music and listening to that music in the best possible environment.’

“That means Dante’s is not the kind of place where the music is so loud that your only option is to dance on the furniture while bottle sparklers go off every five minutes. Here, you’re expected to sit down, speak in hushed tones, and, most importantly, listen.”    – Jose D. Duran, Miami New Times, October 6, 2021

Notice the statue of Rodin’s Thinker (modeled after the poet) on the back wall!

Deathink’s “Abandon All Hope” Poster on Etsy

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Signed poster listed on Etsy by Deathink, owner of the Official Deathink Shop (last accessed October 18, 2021).

Content of the poster based on Rusty Cage’s Requiem of the Crazies comic series, posted on Dante Today here. Deathink’s “Virgil” cites Mandelbaum’s translation of Inferno 20.27-28: “Ancor se’ tu de li altri sciocchi? / Qui vive la pietà quand’ è ben morta.”

 

Illuminating Dante Exhibit at the University of Arkansas

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“Presented from October 5-31, the exhibit consists of 22 items from Special Collections, including a recently acquired 1520 exemplar of the Divine Comedy with commentary by Cristoforo Landino, one full-page woodcut illustration, and 98 smaller woodcuts introducing each canto. Also on view are various editions of Dante’s masterpiece in Italian and English, with illustrations by Gustave Doré and John Flaxman, and works connected to or inspired by the Divine Comedy, including a collection of poems by Vittoria Colonna (1548) and a treatise by Lucrezia Marinella (1601).

“The exhibit includes medieval, early modern, and modern illustrations of the Divine Comedy, ranging from 13th-century illuminations to Sandro Botticelli’s and William Blake’s illustrations. Finally, the exhibit displays works that explore the reception of Dante’s masterpiece across cultural contexts, with works from countries including Spain and France. Examples from the African American community are represented, as well.” [. . .]    — University of Arkansas News, October 5, 2021

See more information about the exhibit here.

Visions of Dante Exhibit Highlighting Cornell University’s Fiske Dante Collection

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“Marking the 700th anniversary of Dante’s death, the exhibition of approximately 100 works in various media explores the visual nature of the Divine Comedy, which has inspired scholars and artists alike, from medieval times through today.

“Visions of Dante not only puts on display a large portion of the Fiske Collection for the first time. It also brings together works lent by notable institutions like the Morgan Library & Museum and 20th century and contemporary artists from William Blake to Salvador Dalí, Robert Rauschenberg, and Kara Walker.

“‘This exhibition reasserts the continued vibrancy of the Divine Comedy as a work of art, a work of literature, and shows the many ways in which visual artists have made their own personal interpretations and translations of that original text,’ says co-curator Andrew C. Weislogel, the Johnson’s Seymour R. Askin, Jr. ’47 Curator of Earlier European and American Art.” [. . .]    –Susan Kelley, Cornell Chronicle, September 29, 2021

The exhibit is held at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University and runs from September 14 – December 19, 2021.

See more information and view an online version of the exhibit here.

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How to Cite

Coggeshall, Elizabeth, and Arielle Saiber, eds. Dante Today: Citings and Sightings of Dante’s Works in Contemporary Culture. Website. Access date.

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