Dr. Kelly Bushey will deliver the final Gallery Talk titled “The Agnostic and The Atheist” at the Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan on May 28, as part of a four-part lecture series accompanying the museum's exhibition *Divine Comedy Reenvisioned*. The talk explores Salvador Dalí's transition from surrealism to neo-classicism, influenced by his encounter with Sigmund Freud and his renewed spiritual perspective, offering insight into his illustrations of Dante Alighieri's *Divine Comedy*. The exhibition remains on view through July 18.
The lecture series and exhibition matter because they demonstrate how a 14th-century literary masterpiece continues to inspire contemporary artistic reinterpretation, bridging medieval themes with modern surrealist vision. By connecting Dante's epic poem with Dalí's 20th-century work, the Besser Museum fosters public reflection on the enduring power of art and literature to shape cultural identity and understanding, making classical narratives accessible to new audiences.