A group of artists-cum-poets gathered at the Kungsportsplatsen and staged their poetry and with instant artistic performance. It was organised by Poesiwerken, which is a transformative cultural network of poets led by Louise Halvardsson. On the bright evening of 13 August 2020, the poets gathered at Järntorget and walked to Kungsportsplatsen drawing the attention of passers-by, sitters by the cafes and bars; and raising slogans in support of poetry: let the poetry come out! Louise Halvardsson said usually about 50 people who write poetry or engaged in other artistic work gather at their events related to poetry, once or twice in a month. Their monthly or bimonthly gatherings were not hindered during the coronavirus pandemic and they were in the outdoors: parks, and woods.
At the Poesiwerken’s poetic performances, the poets are not judged or measured and open to everyone whether someone is a member or not. The only thing that is disallowed is a musical instrument – the guitar. Luoise said, the music distracts poetry, but some instrument like hand-held instrument like tambourine. Karl Andersson read his poetry with the mike held between his legs and playing the tambourine with his hands. The other poets and artists who participated and staged were Linn Karlsson Holmberg, Johan Schöblom, Henrik Mimerson, Maik Farah, Evelina Varas, Mauritz Tistelö, Fatima Yousef and Louise Halvardsson.
Most of its members do not thrust their work in to the public domain such as through social media but at the gatherings of Poesiwerken they share their work and pay attention to others. The members get information through emails that alert them about events and happenings. Their association aids them to collaborate with other artists and cultural festivals, usually largely unknown. It was founded in 2015, whose earlier avatar was a loosely-composed group of friends who had cultural, literary and poetic interests. And they ‘wanted to take poetry to pubs and parks, out on to the streets and squares’; and they do. Nowadays it is both a networking and a micro-publishing platform. They do poetic performance actions to releasing books.
Their gatherings are in open places where text-based art (poetry, prose, performance, diary, drama), their event could also in an attic or in a forest. Do you want information about spontaneous performance events in the city, open stage evenings, release parties of poetry or spoken word celebrations, or anything related to poetic antics. It has published the works of three poets whose contents chafe, crack, and dare to think: reality in the imagination, imagination in reality.
On September 4 & 5, September 2020, Louise Halvardsson, Henke Nadja Häikjö Itässari are performing at an event – the performance is ‘a lyrical riot spiced with surprises, mixing poetry, music and performance’. It is part of Gothenburg Fringe Festival #GBGFringe, @teatertrixter. Gothenburg Fringe 2020 with The Soft Revolution of Goth Punk Poetry and many such transformative cultural events are scheduled.
For more information, you can check:
www.poesiwerken.wixsite.com/website
Instagram: @poesiwerken
Facebook: @poesiwerken
Mail: poesiwerken@gmail.com
