Press release
For immediate release

Montréal, September 25, 2007.Words break free of the works in the exhibition De l’écriture/With Writing, now on at the Musée. In the mouths of slam poets Mario Cholette, Carl Bessette and Ivan Bielinski (Ivy), these words come alive and, in the process, fire our imaginations too. A unique adventure featuring a variety of sound environments, asides and lively performances, in the spirit and letter of the slam.

The slam breathes fresh life into traditional poetry readings, gives words new vitality and puts performance front and centre. A full-fledged oratorical genre, the slam has become a phenomenon with media and public alike, wherever it has taken hold. And for good reason. Faced with an audience that votes on their performance, slammers must apply poetic strategies to win the listeners over, without the benefit of any props, music or costumes, and within a strict time limit of no more than three minutes. The winner is selected by judges chosen at random from among the audience members.

You could say the slam democratizes poetry and returns it to its roots by submitting it to popular approval. The hermetic literary genre of poetry becomes a spectacular, oral event when set on stage. “In poetry, the audience must step into the poet’s world. In a slam, it’s the slammer who draws us in,” says Ivan Bielinski.

Free activity for all, with family or friends.  In French only.

 

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