The annual poetryfestival berlin (June 5-11, 2020) #planetpgoeson is one of the few major events that were not cancelled due to the corona pandemic, but instead take place digitally and can thus be produced and broadcast worldwide.
Nine poets read and recorded their texts for the opening evening in seven native languages: Mircea Cărtărescu (Romania), Michael Donhauser (Austria), Athena Farrokhzad (Iran/Sweden) with the musician Christian Kesten (Germany), Yanko González (Chile), Luljeta Lleshanaku (Albania), Koleka Putuma (South Africa) with the musician Tracy September (South Africa/Switzerland), Ariana Reines (USA), Katharina Schultens (Germany) and Yi Won (South Korea).
The theme of contemporary poetry, so varied in style and approach, is “state of exception”. Literary critic Insa Wilke led through the evening, which has been available on the festival’s Facebook page, the YouTube channel of the Haus für Poesie and on poesiefestival.org since 5 June.
The Kulturforum Berlin supported the digital realisation of the poetry festival and the two Austrian participants Michael Donhauser and Fiston Mwanza Mujila.
www.poesiefestival.org
www.kulturforumberlin.at
