If you find yourself in London on the 20th of March, consider attending a symposium dedicated to the memory of poet Paul Celan.
Events will start at the Romanian Cultural Institute, 1 Belgrave Square, and continue at the Blyth Gallery, Imperial College
Born into a German-speaking Jewish family in Romania, Paul Celan is one of European modernism’s most prominent voices. The 20th of March event, which spans the entire day, marks what would have been his 105th birthday, had he not thrown himself into the Seine.
“We invite you all to join us for a series of inspiring lectures and a panel discussion on the intersection of poetry and art in the work of Celan and his partner, the French graphic artist Gisèle Lestrange! We will enjoy the company of Romanian and British artists, writers and curators who will explore the creative couple’s collaborative endeavours, as well as their lasting influence on contemporary art. The symposium will be followed by a piano recital featuring London-based Romanian pianist Cristiana Achim, a musician of many talents whose very own compositions will be presented alongside an international repertoire”, says the Romanian Cultural Institute in London.
The program is as follows:
2.00 – 2.00 PM | Individual paper presentations:
Peter Harrap, British-Romanian artist & curator – Introduction to Atemkristall, a Visual Arts and Poetry Collaboration between Gisèle Lestrange and Paul Celan
Anna McNay, British writer & curator – Gisèle Lestrange: A Life and Love in Letters
Florin Ungureanu, Romanian-British curator & artist – Encountering Paul Celan in the Paintings of Anselm Kiefer
Andreea Scridon, Romanian-American author & translator – Ekphrasis Poetry and Translating the Self in Poetry
Marius von Brasch, German-British artist – Silence, Turn and Crystal: On Painting and Wordless Conversation
Bianca Boros, Romanian artist – Visual Meditations on Celan’s Poetry
Harriet Tarlo, British poet & artist – Cross Fertilisation: Poet Harriet Tarlo reads from her Collaborative Work with Artist Judith Tucker
2.00 PM | Coffee/tea break
2.30 – 3.30 PM | Panel discussion: Visual Poetics or Metaphorical Imagery?
Chaired by Anna McNay.
With British artists Susie Hamilton, Peter Harrap, Barbara Howey, Alex McIntyre, Fiona Robinson.
4.00 – 5.00 PM | Piano recital by Cristiana Achim
Cristiana Achim – Little Cloud Passing By
Maurice Ravel – Jeux d’eau
Enrique Granados – Goyescas: El Amor y la Muerte
Dinu Lipatti – Early Compositions Suite
Cristiana Achim – Song from Maramureș
George Enescu – The Romanian Rhapsody No. 1
Then follows the Private Viewing for the “Atemkristall” Exhibition at 6:30, examining Celan’s poetry through the lens of contemporary art. Curated by Peter Harrap, Florin Ungureanu and Anna McNay, the exhibition will be on view at Blyth Gallery until 1 May, Mon-Fri between 10 AM – 5 PM.
Taking its inspiration from the homonymous 1965 exhibition organized by the Goethe Institute in Paris, which featured 21 Celan poems mirrored by eight haunting etchings by his partner, the French graphic artist Gisèle Lestrange, the exhibition brings together the work of 80 Romanian and British artists, who have created visual responses to Celan’s poetic legacy in painting, drawing, and photography.
Exploring themes like walking, language and otherness, the display will also feature archival materials, including Celan and Lestrange’s personal works, offering a unique glimpse into the creative exchange between the poet and the artist. In addition, a selection of small paintings by British artist Peter Harrap, as well as fragments of collaborative work by poet Harriet Tarlo and the late artist Judith Tucker will further enrich the dialogue between poetry and visual art.
Atemkristall (Breathcrystal) is supported by British Council Romania, the Warburg Institute, UCL London, and the ‘George Enescu’ National University of the Arts in Iași, Romania.
