Spoken Wor:l:ds

“Spoken Wor:l:ds” was a literary exchange project featuring young performers, poets and “spoken word” artists from Berlin and Nairobi and integrated them into an artistic process. Both cities possess very active poetry and word-art scenes which have developed their own styles and poetics using text, rhythm, sound, voice, gesticulation, improvisation and freestyle. This encounter with artists from Nairobi, who are known for their cross-genre experimentation and high performativity, promises to provide new impulses for the rather text-oriented German spoken-word and poetry scene. The project itself focused primarily on artistic encounter, translation work, new texts and performative styles. In addition to producing a CD, the participants presented the results of their collaboration in readings and concerts in Berlin and Nairobi, as well as online at www.lyrikline.org (external link, opens in a new window) and kwani.org.

A project by the Literaturwerkstatt Berlin with the Maono Cultural Group in Nairobi and Kwani Trust in Nairobi.

Artistic director: Dr. Susanne Stemmler
Artists from Nairobi: Checkmate Mido, L-Ness, Ogutu Muraya, Wanjiku Mwaurah, Namatsi, Sitawa Namwalie, Octopizzo, Poeticbee
Artists from Berlin: Josefine Berkholz, Diamondog, Erko, Christian Filips, MC Josh, LMNZ, Joe Madog, Sabine Scho

Schedule:

12–14 Nov. 2013 Reading/concert in Nairobi
9–12 Apr. 2014 Reading/concert in Berlin, Literaturwerkstatt and Heinrich Böll-Stiftung
18. Oct. 2104, 2 pm, Screening of the documentary, ZEBRA Poetry Film Festivals 2014, Kino Babylon Berlin