Gallery Talk & Exhibition Walkthrough: The Psychology of Absurdism

Gallery Talk & Exhibition Walkthrough: The Psychology of Absurdism
Featuring Professor Dr. Roger Young and Curator Julio Gonzalez Batista
What makes something absurd, and why do encounters with the absurd affect us the way they do? Explore the intersection of art, philosophy and psychology during a special gallery talk and exhibition walkthrough accompanying That’s Absurd .
Professor Dr. Roger Young, an instructor in the Department of Psychology at Florida Gulf Coast University, will lead a presentation examining absurdity as a human experience and what psychological research reveals about how it shapes the way we think, feel and navigate everyday life.
Drawing from existential psychology and philosophy, Dr. Young will introduce key perspectives on absurdity and explore how these ideas connect to selected works in the exhibition. Through the lens of philosophical theories and psychological research, the discussion will offer a deeper look at the questions, contradictions and unexpected perspectives that make absurdism such a compelling subject.
Exhibition curator Julio Gonzalez Batista will also lead a gallery walk, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the artwork more closely and gain additional insight into the creative perspectives, concepts and artistic expressions represented throughout That’s Absurd .
Dr. Young’s academic background spans psychology and philosophy, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees in both disciplines and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of South Florida. His research focuses primarily on existential isolation, exploring the sense of disconnection people may experience not only from one another, but from the world around them. In addition to presenting the gallery talk, Dr. Young participated in That’s Absurd as an exhibition award judge.
Whether approached through art, philosophy or psychology, absurdity invites us to question what we consider normal, meaningful and even rational. This event offers an opportunity to