Wiersze w Metrze / poetry from Poland finds its temporary home in London from the 8th to 21st August 2011. Londoners and London visitors have a unique opportunity to become acquainted with contemporary Polish poetry
The events in London include the presentation of selected poems by thirty poets on the London Underground, poetry installations in Regent's Park with a special exhibition devoted to Czesław Miłosz, Spoke'N'Word Festival on Tour showcasing performance poets from Poland.
The main goal of the "Wiersze w Metrze / Poetry from Poland" campaign is to popularise contemporary poetry through showcasing it on the underground and in urban spaces. The first three editions, which took part in Warsaw in 2008-2010, focused on modern European poetry. The 2011 edition is accompanied by happenings, haiku competition, poetry graffiti competition, city game performing poetry festival and educational workshops. Within the framework of the Polish EU Presidency, contemporary Polish poets and their poetry is not only present in Warsaw amd London, but will also visit 7 other cities: Paris, Madrid, Kiev, Beijing, Tokyo, Brussels and Luxembourg. Special exhibitions will be installed on the European Commission premises in Brussels and Luxembourg.
The campaign, one of the biggest events to promote literature organised by the Polish Presidency of the European Union, enjoys the Honorary Patronage of the Mayor of the Capital City of Warsaw, Ms Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Radosław Sikorski.
Authors whose poems can be read while traveling on the underground metro include poets from all generations of artists - from Tadeusz Różewicz and Wisława Szymborska to Tomasz Rozycki and Jacek Dehnel.
"Wiersze w Metrze / poetry from Poland" campaign was initiated by the Book Institute in Warsaw and British Council. The Warsaw campaign was inspired by similar projects taking place in Dublin, Paris, New York, Barcelona, Stockholm, Stuttgart and Moscow, and above all Poems on the Underground, which has been regularly taking place in London since 1986.
The campaign partners include: City of Warsaw Promotion Department, Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Polish Cultural Institute in London, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London, Polish Cultural Institute in Paris, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Paris, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Madrid, Polish Cultural Institute in Kiev, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Beijing, Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Tokyo, the European Commission and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The campaign launch / poetry evening with Polish poets Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało and Piotr Sommer in conversation with Mark Ford on the 8th of August at 17:30 in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London.
Over the two weeks they will be able to meet poets and read poems of diverse styles.
The events in London include:
- poetry reading: Piotr Sommer and Agnieszka Wolny-Hamkało in conversation with Mark Ford (8 August, 17:30, The Embassy of the Republic of Poland, 47 Portland Place)
- presentation of selected poems by thirty poets on the London Underground
- Poerty installation in the Regent's Park (special reclining chairs and read poems from Poland)
- exhibition of Czesław Miłosz's poemsin the Regent's Park
- evening of Polish performance poetry and a slam, in cooperation with Apples & Snakes: Wojciech Cichoń, Grzegorz Bruszewski and Weronika Lewandowska together with Hollie McNish, Harry Baker and Keith Jarrett; hosted by Bohdan Piasecki (13 August at 20:00 Rich Mix Club)
- slam workshops run by Polish performance poets (registration at workshops(at)poetryfrompoland.com)
- haiku competition - write a haiku about Poland or Warsaw and email it to haiku(at)poetryfrompoland.com
- poem postcards distributed in London
The next stage of the campaign will be held in Paris. Inauguration of the poetry event with Krzysztof Siwczyka and Marcin Sendecki at the Polish Embassy in Paris on the 24th of August 2011 and continues till the 6th of September 2011.
The schedule in other cities for Wiersze w Metrze / poetry from Poland:
- London: 8 August - 21 August 2011
- Paris: 24 August - 6 September 2011
- Madrid: 5 September - 18 September 2011
- Kiev: 26 September - 9 October 2011
- Beijing: 24 October - 6 November 2011
- Tokyo: 7 November - 20 November 2011
- New York: 5 December - 18 December 2011
For more information on "Wiersze w Metrze / Poetry from Poland" see: www.wierszewmetrze.eu, www.poetryfrompoland.com.
Source: press materials