Poetry that changes us – and join Shake! in August
Blog post -
Jul 8, 2015
We are not idealists. We know that art alone does not make the revolution. But we are not fools. We know that revolution is impossible without the art. Frente Popular, Dario Santillan Platform was invited to take part in the recent ‘Footprint Modulation: art, climate and displacement‘. This was a multi-site exhibition and season of...
Nazim Hikmet: “The Oil Road” meets “The Ballad of those who drink the Sun”
Blog post -
Jun 16, 2012
To mark Sunday’s performance of “The Ballad of Those tho Drink the Sun” celebrating the life and work of Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet, Platform is publishing a book excerpt on Nazim Hikmet, poetry & technology, the Euphrates versus BP’s Baku-Ceyhan pipeline. This is an edited excerpt from our upcoming book “The Oil Road: A Journey...
New poetry on climate justice launched: No Condition is Permanent
Blog post -
Dec 21, 2010
PLATFORM and African Writers Abroad proudly present 19 poets and 29 poems in a new volume crackling with acute observation and arresting calls to justice. The collection features powerful new work from acclaimed performance-poets Simon Murray (Sai Murai) and Dorothea Smartt, commissioned during PLATFORM’s season “C Words: Carbon, Climate, Capital, Culture” (Arnolfini, Bristol, England in...
A Sense of Denial – C Words commisioned poem by Dorothea Smartt
Blog post -
Dec 9, 2009
Dorothea Smartt (African Writers Abroad) joined the C Words closing Party and Benefit for the Canadian Indigenous Tar Sands Campaigners live via Skype. She performed her specially commisioned poem, A Sense of Denial, together with several other poems written specifically to the C Words season and inspired by the issues raised. A Sense of Denial Denial looks black, panelled,...
Full Circle – C Words commisioned poem by Simon Murray
Blog post -
Dec 9, 2009
Two poets from African Writers Abroad were commssioned to respond to the C Words season. To craft the poem below, Simon Murray (Sai MuRai) borrows the title of Dorothea Smartt’s poetry workshop “Full Circle” and draws upon some of the many words, phrases and themes that arose throughout the C Words season. The poem was performed live...
Killing T.I.N.A, Embracing T.A.B.O.O – The Writings on the Walls #6
Blog post -
Nov 14, 2009
Dorothea Smartt, one of the two commissioned poets from African Writers Abroad, today releases a beautiful, inspiring poem created out of the 7th November creative writing workshop: Killing T.I.N.A, Embracing T.A.B.O.O (see below). The ink is still wet but Dorothea’s willingness to share this piece is testament to the amazing Creativity, Connections & Co-creations that...
‘The Fattened Rump of Human Disregard’: Zena Edwards on Shell, Nigeria & Ken Saro-Wiwa
Blog post -
Jul 27, 2009
remember saro-wiwa commissioned leading performance poet Zena Edwards to write and perform a new work, reflecting upon the role of oil companies in the deteriorating human rights situation in the Niger Delta. We have reproduced her poem and a photo by renowned photographer Ed Kashi, which inspired the commission, and included a video of Zena...
