“The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth” – Albert Camus
Dispatch NUmber One: Salon de Résistance | presented by RVA Mag, Black Iris, and Le Cachet Dulcet
Not long ago, salons were a catalyst for intellectual expression. Spaces where creators, philosophers, and the avant-garde would connect, trading ideas that blurred the lines of art, politics, culture, and experimentation for entire generations. During their existence they rejected tradition and saw the simple act of convening as opposition; creating rooms where ideas could flourish, subvert, and reimagine the future.
Today, there is a similar need. Not because we’re nostalgic for the past, but because it’s necessary for the future. The foundations of our democracy are fraying. Authoritarianism is being mainstreamed. Political violence is escalating. Public trust is collapsing. And we need to talk about it. So we’re convening a salon— Salon de Résistance, where we can gather together with experts to discuss politics, science, art, culture, and innovation. By opening a space where these conversations can connect beyond the algorithm, we’re protecting what’s most at risk… our right to be informed.
Salon de Résistance is a live interview series led by RVA Mag in collaboration with Black Iris and Le Cachet Dulcet. Each salon will confront the forces reshaping American life right now through conversations with guests whose insights come from deep subject expertise, lived experience, and creative practice. This isn’t a panel or lecture, it’s a gathering in the tradition of the salon; a confluence of voices and ideas which creates the dialogue needed to sustain democracy and sharpen our collective conscience.
Hosted by Landon Shroder, co-publisher and editor-at-large of RVA Magazine; Landon is a foreign policy professional, journalist, and filmmaker whose career has spanned more than twenty years across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. A former producer and journalist for VICE, he has also written extensively on conflict, culture, and politics for outlets including Fair Observer, World Policy Journal, Chatham House, and RVA Magazine.
*Salon de Résistance is free and open to the public. Here is the FB event HERE
Join us at Black Iris
On the following dates, we’ll be hosting Salons de Résistance with guests and experts, focusing on urgent questions connecting to the state of science, politics, and culture.
- September 25 | The Death of Science in America
- October 23 | All Roads Lead to Virginia: The Battleground for Democracy
- November 20 | Culture vs. Conformity in 2025: Art as Résistance
- December (Date TBD) | Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Year in Review
The salon
Salon de Résistance unfolds in three movements: Convergence, Conversation, and Reflection. A convergence to begin, a conversation to spark, and a reflection to carry the ideas forward.
6:00pm – Convergence
Drinks and shared conversation, set to vinyl flips from Le Cachet Dulcet.
7:00–8:30pm – Conversation
A live interview with expert voices drawn from politics, culture, science, and innovation, opening into questions and exchange with the room.
8:30pm – Reflection
Concluding with a reflection of ideas over drinks: space to connect with our guests, develop perspectives, and imagine what comes next.
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