Poet Slash Artist is an exhibition of poets who interact with visual arts and visual artists who connect through poetry, co-curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Lemn Sissay.
The exhibition unites voices, languages and cultures from around the world and features work by 25 poet-slash-artists including Tracey Emin, Inua Ellams, Imtiaz Dharker, Precious Okoyomon, Jota Mombaça, Adonis, Lubaina Himid and Xu Bing. It is part of this year’s Manchester International Festival and takes place at HOME’s Gallery and Tony Wilson Place from 2 July – 30 August 2021.
Each poet/artist has created new work that brings together their visual art and poetry practice. These works will be installed in public spaces across Manchester as part of the Festival (1-18 July).
The full list of poet/artists presenting work are: Etel Adnan, Adonis, Jay Bernard, Anne Boyer, Julien Creuzet, Imtiaz Dharker, Jimmie Durham, Inua Ellams, Ibrahim El-Salahi, Tracey Emin, Renee Gladman, Vivienne Griffin, Lubaina Himid, Sky Hopinka, Isaiah Hull, Tarek Lakhrissi, Lebogang Mashifane, Friederike Mayröcker, Jota Mombaça, Precious Okoyomon, Heather Phillipson, Tiffany Sia, Cecilia Vicuña, Xu Bing, Gozo Yoshimasu.
Hans Ulrich Obrist and Lemn Sissay said: “Over the past year we have researched artists who work with poetry and poets who work in art. They bring art and poetry together in a time when we need new forms of togetherness in this world, we invite the visitors of MIF to enter their worlds. As Etel Adnan says, ‘The world needs togetherness, not separation. Love not suspicion. A common future, not isolation.’ The 25 Poet slash Artists are luminous angels. Manchester is the magnetic force to draw these talents to this unique exhibition where the city itself becomes the gallery. The city of angles and angels.”
Cerys Matthews will curate CATCH A FIRE: a celebration of music, stories, lyrics and poetry inspired by the Poet Slash Artist exhibition, which takes place at Homeground, HOME’s open-air venue, on Friday 2 July.
The day will start with readings and workshops aimed at local primary school children followed by an evening of live performance by musicians, singers and spoken word artists. Performers include Dele Sosimi’s Afrobeat Experience and Gary Crosby’s Jazz Jamaica featuring Zara McFarlane, Anthony Anaxagorou, Adam Horovitz, Murray Lachlan Young, Imtiaz Dharker, Inua Ellams, and Young Identity poets Nasima Bee, P.A. Bitez, Jova Guayaba and Isaiah Hull. The programme will also include guest appearances from artist/poets presenting work in Poet Slash Artist. The event will be hosted by Jeffrey Boakye.
Cerys Matthews said: “From children’s books to Afro Beat, from the beat poets of the 60s to the writers of today, we’ll travel pan-world through music and words, and across time and genre, for an open armed, joy filled celebration of literature and sound.”
A film season at HOME will feature work by artists who overlap between the worlds of poetry and visual art. Manchester is UNESCO City of Literature and home two poet laureates, apposite for Poet Slash Artist.
Poet Slash Artist is dedicated to the memory of Friederike Mayröcker.
Listings Information
Outdoor posters across Manchester: 1-18 July 2021
Exhibition at HOME’s Gallery and Tony Wilson Square
2 July – 30 August 2021
HOME
2 Tony Wilson Place
Manchester
M15 4FN
Free
