Just as sculptors chisel a bust out of marble, blackout poets compose new work by erasing superfluous words from existing texts. From old newspapers to plant guides, and from washing machine manuals to encyclopedias: poetry lurks even in the driest policy document. In this workshop, you will get to know the genre and discover how you can be surprisingly poetic with nothing more than a marker and an old text.
The workshop is led by Elske van Lonkhuijzen: writer, writing instructor, and coordinator of the Wageningen Writing Lab.
Who is this for?
Anyone who enjoys being creative or playful with language (or would like to try it out).
Materials
Old books, magazines, and markers will be available, but a blackout poem becomes even more meaningful when you work with your own materials. So, if an old policy document is gathering dust in your desk drawer, a yellowed printer manual is lying around in your office, or there is a research paper you have been polishing for so long that you are ready for a fresh start: bring them along!
Practical information
- Number of participants: minimum 10 – maximum 12
- Costs: PV members 10 euros, non-members 17.50 euros
