Workshop - Diving Deeper into Sign Language Poetry

Discover the expressive power and poetic richness of sign language in this interactive workshop with Ian Sanborn (USA) at the Poetry International Festival. Through movement, metaphor, and personal storytelling, participants will explore the unique dimensions of visual poetry. The session begins with movement-based warmups inspired by Tai Chi, mime, and dance, followed by playful exercises in crafting micro-metaphors and developing a visual poem rooted in personal experience. This workshop invites you to look beyond form and rhythm—to the emotional depth and meaning within the signs. 

The workshop is intended for participants who are fluent in sign language. International participants are welcome; Dutch Sign Language (NGT) interpreters will be available for those who do not use International Sign. 

Be inspired by motion, image, and meaning—and bring a new and intricate layer to your poetic expression. 

Ian Sanborn

Ian Sanborn is an American ASL poet, performer, educator, and visual artist. 

Being a New Hampshire native, Sanborn is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fly fishing, hiking, and canoeing and finds inspiration in nature. He is best known for his pieces Caterpillar and Tick Tock. His work has been featured both nationally and internationally at institutions such as Cornell University and Sign Mindle in Seoul, South Korea, offering a platform for study and inspiration for both Deaf and hearing audiences. 

To Sanborn, poetry is a living, breathing art that invites the world to not only see but also feel the beauty of language in its most visual and visceral form. Sign language poetry is the embodiment of language that transcends the traditional limits of words. And it reaches even further: through signs, expressions, and the rhythm of movement, ASL poetry connects the depths of human experience, creating space for Deaf culture to be fully recognized. Sanborn’s work ensures that poetry is not just read and heard, but also seen and felt, shaping the evolving landscape of Deaf performing arts. 

Next to his poetic work Sanborn also creates through the media of film, photography, and painting.