Joachim Sartorius

© Matthias Bothor

© Matthias Bothor

Born in Fürth in 1946, Joachim Sartorius grew up in Tunis and, following lengthy periods in New York, Istanbul and Nicosia, currently lives in Berlin. After completing his legal studies, he worked as a diplomat for 12 years (1973–1986) and then as an advisor on European cultural politics In Brussels. He directed the artists’ programme for DAAD (German Academic Exchange Programme) for eight years and served as General Secretary of the Goethe Institut in Munich from 1996 to 2000 before being appointed Artistic Director of the Berliner Festspiele.

Joachim Sartorius is a poet and translator of American literature. He has published five volumes of poetry: Sage ich zu wem (1988), Der Tisch wird kalt (1992), Keiner gefriert anders (1996,) In den ägyptischen Filmen (2000), Ich habe die Nacht (2003) as well as numerous books created together with artists such as Vakat (with Nan Goldin), The Golden Tower (with James Lee Byars), Einszueins (with Horst Antes) and Aus dem Augenrund (with Emilio Vedova, 2000). His poetic works have been translated into numerous languages. He is the editor of the complete works of Malcolm Lowry and William Carlos Williams and the anthologies New Poetry Atlas (1995), Minima Poetica (1999) and Alexandria Fata Morgana (2001).