10 Ukrainian poets will present 10 poets of Africa with Western Africa rhythms and Eastern Ukraine songs. Poetry, music, photos, video, and paintings are united by the symbol of African Talk Tree - kaïcédrat.
The main body of the project contains the translations from ХХІ century poets from African countries (Nigeria, SAR, Senegal, Morocco, Angola, Zimbabwe) and Ukrainian poetry with parallel sense. Cultures of Africa and Ukraine are combined with the help of the music: authentic Eastern Ukrainian songs by «Dyvyna» theater from Donetsk are accompanied by Western African drums «AfriKAN» (Kyiv).
The project has a visual component: a gallery of paintings with fantastic trees by Lesya Synychenko. Kaise-Dra meetings are filmed by Daria Popovych. Photo: Iryna Briazgun.
Curator: Oksana Kutsenko
Ukrainian poets who will perform for you in America House:
Olesya Mamchych - her first poem appeared in children’s magazine Sonyashnik in 1992, and her first collection, Perekotybole, in 2004. Her other two collections, The Cover and The Sun on Maternity Leave were both published in 2014. Olesya Mamchych has also published her poetry translations from Polish, Byelorussian and Lithuanian. She was the recipient of the Blagovist Award in 2006, and the Urba-Crossing Award in 2014. She is currently living in a creative commune and working on an alternative school education project.
Olena Huseynova is Ukrainian poet. Her book “Open rider” (2012) was recognized the poetry book of the year by International Competition «Ukrainian Best Book Award» and hit the 20th Lviv Publishers’ Forum 20 Best Books (2013) Also she was awarded the Smoloskyp literary prize (2004) and Vasyl Symonenko’s poetry award (2012). In 2015 in Bratislava a book of Olena Huseynova selected poems in Slovak "Spiatocny listok" were published. Her poems were translated into Polish, Slovac, Czech, Russian and English and have appeared in Ukrainian and European literary magazines.
Oleh Kotsarev, a contemporary Ukrainian poet, he has published eight books of poetry and one book of short stories. He has been awarded five Ukrainian literary prizes. Oleh Kotsarev is co-editor of the anthology “Ukrainian Avante-Guard Poetry (1910-1930)”. The books: Korotke i dovhe – Kyiv, 2003; Tsilodobovo – Kyiv, 2007; Miy pershyj nizh – Kyiv, 2009; Zbih obstavyn pid Jahotynom – Moscow, 2009 (with Russian translations); Nejmovirna istorija pravlinnia Chlorofituma Pershoho – Kyiv, 2009; Kotra hodyna – Kyiv, 2013; Cyrk – Ternopil, 2015; Plavni richky – Ivano-Franskivsk, 2015; Chornyj khlib, bilyj kyt – Brno, 2015 (Czech translation).
Dmytro Lazutkin, a poet, who worked as a metallurgical engineer, a karate trainer, a journalist, an anchorman of television program “In the World of Martial Arts” and as a sports commentator. He started writing patriotic poems when he was in the kindergarden and got really into lyrics at the age of 11 when he first fell in love. His love came to an end but poems stayed. Author of poetic books: “Dakhy”, “Solodoshi Dlya Plazuniv”, “Papryka Grez”, “Nabyti Travoyu Svyashchenni Korovy”, “Benzyn”. Winner of such literary prizes as: “Literary Olimp-2006”, “Smoloskyp”, “Granoslov”, “Russian Award”), “Kultrevansh”), “Unity of Debuts”. He won the First Open Ukrainian Championship in “OBERSLAM”. His poems are translated into ten languages. Dmytro Lazutkin was scholarship holder of the international program Gaude Polonia (Poland). He worked as a sports commentator in China (at the Olympic Games), Thailand, Finland and Hungary. He has been going in for martial arts for more than 15 years. Bronze medalist of the World Cup in kickboxing and kick-jitsu. Champion of Ukraine in Cossack single combat. Holder of the black belt in campo-karate.
Taras Malkovych lives and works in Kyiv, Ukraine. He graduated from the National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv and defended his PhD thesis on the issues of Ukrainian and international film translation. He was a Visiting Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University, researching modern American poetry. His poems and some of his translations have been published in Ukrainian literary periodicals and literary web-resources, and were translated into Polish, English, German, Bulgarian, and Russian. He has been a participant at many literary festivals and is the author and compiler of the anthology “The Sleepwalkers. Dreams of Ukrainian Writers” (2010) and the author of the poetry collection (“The one who loves long words” (2013).
Oksana Kutsenko has published three books of poetry (In the Winter of Wishes, 1996, Ballet School, 2007, Chrysalis, 2016) and a book for children (Baked Apples, 2015). She’s participant of the main Ukrainian literary festivals like Book Arsenal and Book Forum where performs poetry with music and dance. The translator of collection of poems “Chants d'ombre” by Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist Léopold Sédar Senghor. The curator of the project «I Will Be Waiting for You under Kaïcédrat Tree». Oksana Kutsenko works as an expert in the field of culture diplomacy and culture policy.
Please remember to bring your passport or driver's license.