Southward. International poetry meetings

Extraordinary poetic appointment in Reggio Calabria. The first edition of "VersoSud. International poetry meetings" will take place on 14, 15 and 16 September with the participation of some of the most important voices on the international poetic scene. The event, promoted by the Calabria Region (Department of Culture) and the Municipality of Reggio Calabria (Department of Cultural Heritage and Major Events), is organized by the House of Poetry and the Angoli corsari Association. Reggio Calabria, meeting its cultural, historical and artistic vocation, presents itself to international attention for three intense days, as a hub and point of reference for poetry and for the meeting between peoples, cultures and religions. “VersoSud”, towards an ideal south, place of departure and landing, place of meeting and exchange, of welcome and coexistence. “We like to imagine this event rather than as a festival as a party, the place where poetry, which some priests would like to confine in tabernacles and niches enclosed in crypts accessible only to adepts, celebrates its own vitality, escapes classification but not contamination, comes out of the pages of books and becomes a voice, and there is singing and music and dance and action and even videos or graphic signs or whatever else is needed to be able to express the inexpressible, the more radical contradiction... A celebration in a place where history fades into myth, where the encounter between peoples and races has very ancient roots and very current problems, where the sea challenges the land and the fire of the volcano threatens the sky, to remind us that everything that is alive is in perpetual movement, that history is by no means over, but rather is enriched with ever new and unexpected variations Carried by a light wind, the migrants will land on a gentle Mediterranean night of the word and the spell, at least for three days, can be renewed: poetry will be able to return to life, it will whisper, or perhaps shout, to each of us, that "tenderness is revolutionary", that love is subversive, that diversity is richness, that change is possible, indeed indispensable to prevent the offense done to the world from turning against us all. The event will take place at the Aragonese Castle in Reggio Calabria: in the evening, at 9.00 pm, in the newly renovated square, with spectacular readings and sometimes with the help of musicians who will interact with the various poets; in the afternoon, however, at 6.00 pm, in the internal rooms of the Castle, with seminars, meetings, screenings, exhibitions. The level of participation from various parts of the world is great: from the extraordinary and now shrouded in myth Amiri Baraka (born LeRoi Jones) and his wife, Amina Baraka, true points of reference of the African-American community who will perform with an Italian jazz quartet, to the intense poet from Chad, Nimrod, who brings us the voice of deep, painful and beautiful Africa; from the seductive Syrian Maram al Masri with her sensual and feminine poetry, to the profoundly Mediterranean poetry of the Lebanese Michel Cassir; from one of the greatest Hebrew-language poets, cultured, irregular, scandalous, opponent of Israeli policies in the Palestinian territories, the Israeli Ahron Shabtai, to the profound humanism, full of compassion of the Portuguese Ivo Machado; from Tony Harrison, English, one of the major contemporary poets, "author in the trenches", correspondent from the front and historian and conscience of our era", to the Spaniard Manuel Rico, with his poetry as an intimate and collective memory; from the emotionally charged poetry of the Chilean, survivor of another September 11th, Carmen Yañez, to the combative and "sung" poetry of the African-American Devorah Major; from the veterans of that "former world", the extraordinary Slavs, Josip Osti (Bosnian, from Sarajevo, who lives in Slovenia) with a love poem that clashes with the tragedy of his country and Sinan Gudzevic (Serbian by birth, of a Muslim family, who lives in Zagreb) who recovers the classic form of the epigram with irony and ferocity, to the Italians Giuseppe Conte (one of our most important and international poets), with his most recent poems in which abandonment, restlessness and melancholy take on a new meaning the great theme of his poetry and of our life: the destiny of Western culture and Gregorio Scalise (Calabrian by birth, Bolognese by adoption) with his intelligent and ironic poetic writing, philosophical and of strong cultural depth, anti-rhetorical and dry. The afternoon meetings, with exhibitions and screenings, will be centered on three themes: "Allen Ginsberg, beats and surroundings" (on the occasion of the ten years since Allen's death and the 50 years that have just passed since the publication of the very famous “Howl”, with an exhibition by Chris Felver, screenings, seminars); “Sarajevo, mon amour” (dedicated to the great poet Izet Sarajlic, to Sarajevo and “poetry in times of war”, for the “active” twinning that exists between the House of Poetry and the capital of Bosnia); Giuseppe Ungaretti" (with the aid of videos and filmed documents). During the event some poetic jukeboxes will be set up.

Program

Friday 14 September at 6.00 pm “Allen Ginsberg, beats and surroundings” Seminar with video projections Hosted by Giada Diano Testimonies by Devorah Major and in video by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (The Agony of Allen Ginsberg) and Jack Hirschman (The Arcanum of Allen) (video fragments: Kaddish, Kral Majal, Father Death Blues, Rapido Tokyo-Kyoto, Personal Ads, Punk Rock, Noble truths of the Gospel) Photographic exhibition by Chris Felver Poetic jukebox curated by Casa della Poesia 9.00 pm Reading: Giuseppe Conte (Italy) Ivo Machado (Portugal) Devorah Major (United States) Maram al Masri (Syria) Josip Osti (Bosnia/Slovenia) Memories in video: Allen Ginsberg: "Personal announcements" Martin Matz: "I know where rainbows go to die" Saturday 15 September at 18.00 "The old man's notebook. Giuseppe Ungaretti" Seminar with video projections Hosted by Francesco Napoli Testimonies by Giuseppe Conte and Gregorio Scalise Screenings: "Ungaretti's rivers"; "Fragments" (on war, on poetry, war and language, again on poetry, pain, the old). Poetic jukebox by Casa della Poesia 9.00 pm Reading: Sinan Gudžević (Serbia/Croatia) Nimrod (Chad) Manuel Rico (Spain) Gregorio Scalise (Italy) Aharon Shabtai (Israel) Memories in video: Pedro Pietri: " Ken Smith: "In praise of vodka" Sunday 16 September 6.00 pm “Sarajevo mon amour. Izet Sarajlić” Seminar with video projections Conducted by Sergio Iagulli Testimonies by Sinan Gudžević and Josip Osti, Erri De Luca (in video). Tony Harrison and Aharon Shabtai Screening of "Sarajevo 1994. Video letter from besieged Sarajevo". Poems in video by Izet Sarajlic. Photographic exhibition by Mario Boccia Poetic juke-box curated by House of Poetry 9.00 pm Reading: Amiri Baraka (United States) Amina Baraka (United States) Michel Cassir (Lebanon) Tony Harrison (England) Carmen Yanez (Chile) Memories in video: Izet Sarajlić: "Last tango in Sarajevo" Ante Zemljar: "Standing by the wall". Musicians: Gaspare Di Lieto Quartet (Gaspare Di Lieto: piano, Giuseppe Plaitano: saxophones, Joseph Lepore: double bass, Gaetano Fasano: drums, Giampiero Locatelli (piano), Francesco Notorio (double bass), Dario Miano (saxophone), Pucci Nicosia (drums), Demetrio Albano (guitar and bass), Daniele Siclari (guitar), Francesco Pepè (guitar), Francesco Surace (percussion). (accordion/keyboards), Alessio Mauro (guitar), Gianni Brancati (guitar and loop) Info:

Information

Calabria Region Department of Culture Municipality of Reggio Calabria Department of Cultural Heritage and Major Events Thanks to: Hon. Pasquale Maria Tripodi (Councillor for Productive Activities and Personnel of the Calabria Region) Giuseppe Benedetto (Councillor of the Municipality of Motta San Giovanni), Ministerio de Education, Cultura y Sporte. Directorate General of Books, Archives and Library, Madrid, Spain. Slovenian Writers Association University of Catania Eurospar Lazzaro