Why Renaissance?

by Emilio Miller-Lopez

I am starting this post with the Webster Dictionary definition of Renaissance, because to me it is an important element in the concept of RenCon 2010, our new east coast event which launches this April in Maryland:

RENAISSANCE (from Websters)

1. the transitional movement in Europe between medieval and modern times beginning in the 14th century in Italy, lasting into the 17th century, and marked by a humanistic revival of classical influence expressed in a flowering of the arts and literature and by the beginnings of modernscience 2. a movement or period of vigorous artistic and intellectual activity

On April 9th-11th in Hunt Valley Maryland, Faerieworlds and Renaissance Magazine will launch RenCon, a gathering of music, art, lore, crafts and culture. The event will be a celebration of the current artistic, mythic and cultural "rebirth," and an intentional gathering of creativity, with influences from Medieval and Renaissance culture and art. RenCon will feature John and Caitlin Matthews, two of the world's foremost scholars of Celtic, Arthurian and Medieval lore, Brian and Wendy Froud, two of the most influential mythic and faerie artists of our time, and the German medieval influenced bands Qntal and Estampie. Our intention with RenCon is not to be a re-enactment of a time past, but to celebrate the visionary cultural and artistic movement it has inspired in the present, and to be part of a "rebirth" of the very meaning of Renaissance in this modern age.