An event of trans-genre and multi-media poetry performance during  The Association of Writers & Writing Programs annual conference, courtesy of Viz. Inter-Arts Interventions.

Join Viz. Inter-Arts and Station Hill Press for a lively evening of trans-genre poetry performances and interventions by poets Roxi Power, Michael Ruby, Mark Scroggins, Rodrigo Toscano, and Sam Truitt. Poets will use different intermedia forms to investigate and embody the role of poetic performance as an interventionist strategy during times of crisis. From war to pandemics to the climate crisis, performance embodies, in Antonin Artaud's words, the mortal and ephemeral gesture. There are many ways to stage art interventions. 

In contrast to Michel De Certeau's notion of strategies—"plans made by those who have the power to predict and change the lived landscape"—we tend to deploy tactics: isolated blows against the empire. As the war in Ukraine rages on, such art interventions are timely. 

Advance registration is strongly encouraged. Click here.

PRESENTERS INCLUDE

Rodrigo Toscano is a poet and essayist based in New Orleans. He is the author of ten books of poetry. His latest book is The Charm & The Dread (Fence Books, 2022). His Collapsible Poetics Theater was a National Poetry Series selection) His poetry has appeared in over twenty anthologies, including Best American Poetry and Best American Experimental Poetry (BAX). Toscano has received a New York State Fellowship in Poetry. He won the Edwin Markham 2019 prize for poetry. 

Sam Truitt is the author of the ten works in the Vertical Elegies series, among others in print and other media, including most recently Tokyoatoto. Among other recognitions, he is the recipient of numerous Fund for Poetry awards, a Contemporary Poetry Award from the University of Georgia, and a Howard Fellowship. The producer and a co-host of the podcast Baffling Combustions and Director of Station Hill Press, he lives in Woodstock, NY.

Michael Ruby is the author of seven poetry books, most recently The Mouth of the Bay (BlazeVOX, 2019) and The Star-Spangled Banner (Station Hill, 2020), and a trilogy in prose and poetry, Memories, Dreams and Inner Voices (Station Hill, 2012). Recent ebooks include Close Your Eyes (Argotist, 2018) and Titles & First Lines (Mudlark, 2018). He also co-edited Bernadette Mayer’s early books, Eating the Colors of a Lineup of Words (Station Hill, 2015), and he works as an editor of U.S. news and political articles at The Wall Street Journal.

Mark Scroggins is the author of four books of poetry, most recently Pressure Dressing (MadHat 2018) and the forthcoming Zion Offramp 1-50. He writes a monthly poetry review column for Hyperallergic, and many of his pieces will be included in the forthcoming Arcane Pleasures: On Poetry and Some Other Arts. 

Roxi Power is the author of the forthcoming poetry book, The Songs that Objects Would Sing (Finishing Line Press) and is the founder and editor of Viz. Inter-Arts Trans-Genre Anthology series at UC Santa Cruz , where she has taught for 22 years. She has performed original live film narration scripts at The Tennessee Williams Festival, REDCAT, and many other venues. 

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IN-PERSON EVENT

Please note, out of concern for everyone’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, we require proof of vaccination for entry to all in-person events. Attendees are asked to wear masks at all times. Advance registration via eventbrite is required for all events, so we can plan for attendance and gather safely. 

Event registrations will be honored until 15 mins after start time of the event; afterwards, availability will be on a first-come basis. 

LIVESTREAMING

We will also offer a livestream recording of our events, graciously hosted by Common Notions Press on their YouTube channel. Feel free to subscribe to that channel and spread the word!

The livestream typically starts 15 mins after the listed start-time of the event.

Note: there are ample opportunities to receive a free COVID-19 test, vaccine, or booster in most neighborhoods, at walk-in clinics or by appointment. All of the COVID-19 vaccines are free. They are available to anyone in the United States. You do not need to provide identification to receive a vaccine. Visit phila.gov for latest info and please support the work of the Black Doctors’ COVID Consortium.

Note: this offsite event is part of wider The Association of Writers & Writing Programs annual conference.