The Artifact: The Devil's Country
Summary
Host Robert Lamb explores the "Devil's Country," a haunted mosaic room from Clive Barker's novel *Cold Heart Canyon*, which serves as a gateway to a hellish realm. The episode details the room's origin involving a cursed hunt and its role in granting eternal life to a Hollywood starlet. Lamb also draws parallels to immersive art history, citing the Villa of the Mysteries in Pompeii and the symbolic complexity of Hieronymus Bosch's paintings.
Topics discussed
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Introduction to The Artifact and Cold Heart Canyon
Clive Barker's theme of art as a gateway
Spoiler warning for Cold Heart Canyon
Origin and relocation of the Devil's Country mosaic
The room's power and Katja's immortality
Mythological origins involving Lilith and the Duke
Folkloric and mythological influences in the setting
Art as portals and immersive environments
Historical examples: Pompeii frescoes and Villa of Livia
Comparison with Hieronymus Bosch's symbolism
The immersive and inescapable nature of art
Outro and contact information
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