Topic: "Sonic Montage & Madness on the Prairies: Alberta Provincial Hospital for the Insane, Ponoka"

How does metaphor imbue resonance into the historical and contemporary discussions of madness in Alberta? How can concretized abstractions create depth beyond flat slogans and limiting silver-linings? Can complexity collapse and expand to history, to experience, to the page? This talk presents a lyric inquiry on Alberta's so-called Hospital for the "Insane." The work of the poet and disability advocate Jordan Scott will be placed in conversation with artistic approaches to understanding disability and madness. Sonic Montage includes the cacophony of collage with artistic presentation, critical inquiry, and a chapbook workshop where participants can learn to bridge divides between the page and physical ephemera.

Host: Cristalle Smith, RDP English Instructor

Cristalle Smith is published in Room Magazine, Cv2, ARC Poetry Magazine and elsewhere. She is the winner of the subTerrain Magazine Lush Triumphant Literary Award in Creative Nonfiction. Invisible Lives is her debut poetry collection out with University of Calgary Press in the Brave and Brilliant Series. Cristalle is an instructor at Red Deer Polytechnic and lives in Red Deer with her son.

The Philosopher's Café promotes open, meaningful dialogue where participants can share ideas and broaden their perspective by considering the views of others.

• No philosophical training or expertise is required. 
• Registration is encouraged.
• Free!