October Gallery, London, 22nd February 2011.
In this audio-visual presentation Mark shows how military and intelligence operators have shaped and exploited beliefs in UFOs, ghosts, monsters, vampires, and elements from folklore and conspiracy theory to create an armoury of supernatural weapons of mass deception capable of manipulating consciousness on a grand scale. The inspiration for these toys, tools and techniques has come from a range of sources including fiction, cinema, stage magic, advertising and occultism and has, for many of its intended and unintended targets, altered their very perception and understanding of the world around us.
Mark Pilkington has written for Fortean Times, the Guardian, Sight & Sound, The Wire, Frieze, The Anomalist and a host of other magazines and journals. His book 'Mirage Men: An Adventure into Disinformation, Paranoia and UFOs' was published in July 2010. Mark also runs Strange Attractor Press, editing and publishing its occasional Journal, organising events and exhibitions and broadcasting on Resonance FM. When not squinting at words, Mark can be found playing synthesisers and electronic gizmos with musical outfits including Disinformation, The Asterism, Raagnagrok and Urthona.
This lecture was part of a series held at the October Gallery on the last Tuesday of each month.