Pareidolia: A Reading by Dean Ruddock (Max Kade Center for German Studies)

You are cordially invited to join us for a performance lecture by Dean Ruddock, Lafayette's 2026 Max Kade Writer-in-Residence from Leipzig, Germany.

Dean Ruddock will read an English translation of his celebrated short story "Pareidolia," accompanied by music and sound art. The story engages with the future of labor, memories of Earth, and the colonization of Mars, among other themes. The reading will be followed by an open Q&A with the author and a reception.

Dean Ruddock is an artist and educator based in Leipzig, Germany. His practices are located at the intersection of art and politics, bringing together diverse constellations of people, literatures, and media, including sound, dance, and (short) film. Many of his projects are grounded in interview-based research, through which he seeks to integrate a wide spectrum of perspectives.

Conceptually, Dean Ruddock’s work engages with questions of post-migration, globalization, and decoloniality, as well as speculative approaches that move beyond established frameworks. His current focus is on imagining better worlds and exploring how these visions can be translated into storytelling practices.

More on Dean Ruddock's work can be found here and on his website.