Ars Poetica: When Poetry Both Uplifts and Makes You Laugh

kultura.pravda.sk | November 18, 2017 | Vladimíra Gahérová

"They say that poetry can be found in the most unexpected of places. However, if you don't want to wait around for the muse to kick or for a moment of incidental rousing, you should feel free to actively seek it out yourself. Ars Poetica 2017 is a great option – it offers a concentrated selection of the best of both international and local poetry, all free of charge. This international poetry festival is starting this Thursday in Bratislava. Throughout eight days, it will present prominent poets accompanied by original VJ sets, recitals of original translations, concerts, dance performances, workshops and a special selection of films, all of them taking place around the capital."

Nora Gomringer & Philipp Scholz

The third night of the festival will present prominent representatives of European poetry, such as Laura Accerboni, Julien Delmaire, Semier Insayif or Lies Van Gasse, accompanied by the Slovak poets Eva Luka and Michal Habaj. The highlight of the evening will be the German formation titled PENG! comprised of Nora Gomringer and Philipp Scholz. Their performance belongs among the biggest phenomena in the contemporary German and European scene. The festival's Martina Straková describes Gomringer as "immensely entertaining, sometimes ironic and even sarcastic, able to voice her thoughts in a sensitive but pertinent manner." Saturday will end on a high note, with a concert by Nitky & Zuzana Homolová. Throughout the whole day, the festival will offer a rich off program, holding creative workshops in the University Library. This program will lead straight into Ars Poetica Film in the Lumière Film Theatre, which will offer screenings of films such as Jim Jarmusch's Coffee and Cigarettes or Paterson.

(This is an English language summary of the original article.)