Gozo Yoshimasu & David Antin

[Today is one of those days when you have to make choices... Yoshimasu starts at 6 pm on Greene Street and Antin goes on at 7 at Poet's House. Luckily it's not raining today otherwise... ouch, it actually is raining, it's pouring. We'll see what happens. Antin will be talking about "The Politics of Poetry" -- yuck -- on 72 Spring Street. Yoshimasu info follows -- at the location that picked up where Roulette left off after being evicted.]

Please join us for a poetry reading and performance by acclaimed avant garde poet Gozo Yoshimasu. This reading brings the legendary poet to New York after a ten-year absence.

Poetry reading by Yoshimasu: September 23, 2003 at 7 PM
Live translation by American poet Geoffrey O'Brien Improvisational music by guitarist Jean-François Pauvros Poems translated by Hiroaki Sato
Admission: Free - Doors open at 6pm
No Reservations.

Exhibition: Poetic Spectrum - Images, Objects, and Words of Gozo Yoshimasu September 3 - September 23, 2003 Curated by Miwako Tezuka Gallery hours: Tue - Sat 12-6 PM

Location One
26 Greene Street NYC 10013
Subway: Canal Street - N, R, Q, W, 6, A, C, E
www.location1.org

In a rare event, Gozo Yoshimasu will come to New York City to read/perform selections from his most recent poems on September 23rd. Through his unique performance style, his voice, ultimately weaves together the visions and touches of the past, and revives the singularity of those encounters. The amalgamation of images, objects, words, and reading as performance, will present a possibility of transcending the limit of language, and reveal the trans-cultural fertility of poetry.

This performance will last just under an hour and will include a live translation by American poet Geoffrey O'Brien, as well as improvisational music by experimental guitarist, Jean- François Pauvros. The event will be streamed live on the Location One website beginning at 7PM EST.

Poetic Spectrum - Images, Objects, and Words of Gozo Yoshimasu is made possible through the generous support of The Japan Foundation, as well as through contributions from members of Location One. Poetic Spectrum is a participating event of "US-Japan 150," a two-year nationwide festival commemorating the 150th anniversary of the inception of relations between the US and Japan in 1853. Thanks to Itoen Tea for its generous contribution of beverages.

For more information about Poetic Spectrum - Images, Objects, and Words of Gozo Yoshimasu and the artists involved in the September 23rd event, please see www.location1.org.

GOZO YOSHIMASU was born in Tokyo in 1939 and published his first book of poems entitled Shuppatsu (Departure) in 1964. Juxtaposing imagery of reality and memories of various locations, his poems open new vistas that reach one's collective consciousness. Yoshimasu is also known for his unusual, trance-like reading through which he has collaborated with artists such as Kazuo Ono and Nobuyoshi Araki. Considered to be an emblematic presence in postwar Japanese poetry, many of his poems have been translated into various languages. He has given readings at Centre Georges Pompidou (2000), Taipei International Poetry Festival (2001), and has exhibited his photographs and calligraphies at São Paulo Biennale (1990), Chambre de Commerce et Industrie, Strasbourg (2000), among others. In May 2003, he received the Purple Ribbon Award from the Japanese government for his significant cultural contributions.

ABOUT LOCATION ONE
Location One is a not-for profit art center whose mission is to foster the convergence of classic and new media for the development and presentation of new work. Emerging and established artists in all mediums from all over the world are invited to collaborate and experiment with advanced technological tools and delivery systems. Location One presents visual arts, performing arts and online programming. It maintains on its premises an International Residency Program that is open to artists from different fields of expression at all levels of experience in technology.

Posted by Brian Stefans at September 23, 2003 11:02 AM | TrackBack