Poetry International Poetry International
52e Poetry International Festival Rotterdam
Simone Atangana Bekono

Simone Atangana Bekono

Reading

In her poems, the Dutch poet Simone Atangana Bekono explores the connection between body and identity. The idea of being black and female evokes feelings of displacement, and of anger toward people who suppress that identity. Her prose debut Confrontations was named Best Book for Young People, among other awards; her new collection is coming out soon, so we look forward to seeing new poems at the festival.

In Simone Atangana Bekono's poetry, militancy and tenderness constantly alternate. She shows how the personal can be poetic, political and universal at the same time. In her poems, she explores the connection between body and identity. The notion of having a black and female body leads to a variety of feelings; of displacement, but also of anger toward the people who suppress that body, that identity. It is typical of Atangana Bekono that she does not bend her undeniable political commitment into palatable sounding cries but turns it into an object of research in an exciting way....

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In her poems, the Dutch poet Simone Atangana Bekono explores the connection between body and identity. The idea of being black and female evokes feelings of displacement, and of anger toward people who suppress that identity. Her prose debut Confrontations was named Best Book for Young People, among other awards; her new collection is coming out soon, so we look forward to seeing new poems at the festival.

In Simone Atangana Bekono's poetry, militancy and tenderness constantly alternate. She shows how the personal can be poetic, political and universal at the same time. In her poems, she explores the connection between body and identity. The notion of having a black and female body leads to a variety of feelings; of displacement, but also of anger toward the people who suppress that body, that identity. It is typical of Atangana Bekono that she does not bend her undeniable political commitment into palatable sounding cries but turns it into an object of research in an exciting way.

Simone Atangana Bekono debuted in 2018 with the collection Hoe de eerste vonken waren zichtbaar (winner Debuuutprijs Aan Zee), followed in 2020 by her multiple-nominated and award-winning prose debut Confrontations (including Best Book for Young Adults, Anton Wachter Prize). She was already our guest in 2019 as well, at the 50th Poetry International Festival. Still this year her new book of poetry will be published, so expect new work from her at the festival.

This is a program with poet Paul Tran. In this program, both poets read their entire festival selection with recent work.

Host: Lisanne Snelders 

Photo: © Bianca Sistermans

Saturday 10 June
LantarenVenster 1
15:00 - 16:00  


Pricing

Dayticket Friday or Sunday € 22,50
Dayticket Saturday€ 29,50
Passe-partout € 50,00
Prices do not include service costs of €1.50 per ticket.

50% discounts for RotterdamPas, CJP-pas and Studentscard

Language and duration

The poems will be performed in the original language and translated into English and/of Dutch.

60 minutes

Festival poets

See also

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère