Poetry translation workshop at Smolenice Castle, Slovakia
Tom Pow and Alina Talybova
Poets from eight countries gather at Smolenice castle
Gabriel Rosenstock reading in Slovakia
Eva Luka reading her poems
Tom Pow and Hilari de Cara, Slovakia translation workshop 2012
Tiziana Colusso working at Smolenice Castle workshop
Literature Across Frontiers continued its international poetry translation workshop series with the Centre for Information on Literature in Slovakia with a workshop at Smolenice castle from the 7th to the 15th of July 2012.
Eight poets: Tom Pow (Scotland), who lead the workshop, Tiziana Colusso (Italy), Eva Luka (Slovakia), Hilari de Cara (Catalonia), Vishnu Khare (India), Artis Ostups (Latvia), Gabriel Rosenstock (Ireland) and Alina Talybova (Azerbaijan) spent a week working on the translations of each other’s poetry and encountering new literary contexts and poetic backgrounds.
The poets performed at Gallery Artoteka in Bratislava with music from the Vogon Poetry Orchestra.
Tom Pow reported from the workshop: “One of the strengths of the group was its willingness to question particular translation decisions, ones that it was felt did not reflect the original poem. Consequently, each translation might be changed as a result of group discussion. The group contained a wide variety of experiences within it and several practised translators. Because of the make up of the group and the circumstances within which it operated – the beautiful Smolenice Castle – a sense of trust and a determination to “get it right” developed. The group was keen to hear the translations read aloud throughout the week and the final presentation gave it a sense of deep satisfaction.”