Palabra Pura
Palabra Pura promotes literary expression in more than one tongue through a bilingual poetry reading featuring Chicano and Latino artists. With an aim to foster dialogue through literature in Chicago and beyond, these evenings pair local poets and visiting writers, and feature open mics to encourage the interaction of diverse voices, ideas, and aesthetics. The readings are generally held the third Wednesday of the month four times a year.
Palabra Pura se enfoca en la expresion literaria en varios idiomas a traves de una serie de lecturas bilingues con artistas Chicanos y Latinos. Nuestra meta es promover el dialogo a traves de la literatura en Chicago y mas alla. Con este fin, cado lectura combina un poeta local con uno invitado, ademas de un open mic para cultivar la interaccion de voces, ideas y esteticas diversas. Las lecturas se ofrecen el tercer miercoles del mes cuatro veces al año.
2019 Palabra Pura Events
Final Palabra Pura of 2019 on Translation
November 20th @ La Bruquena
Join the Guild Literary Complex for the last Palabra Pura event of the year, hosted by Kolin Jordan and featuring Amaia Gabantxo and Andrew Hertzberg. Translation will be a theme of this event, so feel free to bring a translation of yours (a poem or a few lines of a prose piece) for the open mic.
La Bruquena Restaurant
2nd floor
2726 W. Division, Chicago
7 p.m.
$5 donation suggested ~ No one turned away
Amaia Gabantxo is a writer, flamenco singer and multi-award winning literary translator specialized in Basque literature. She uses all of her languages in her work, as well as her song. She is a Lecturer at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and an activist for Indigenous rights and language revitalization. Her most recent translations include A Glass Eye by Miren Agur Meabe (Parthian Books, UK), Twist by Harkaitz Cano (Archipelago Books) and Downhill and Rock & Core by Gabriel Aresti (University of Nevada Press), which was awarded the 2018 Kutxa-Laboral Literary Translation Prize. Her album KANTUZ: 1931 was released this year. She is writing a novel in flamenco form.
Kolin Jordan is a writer, translator, and the co-founder of 7Vientos Press, a small, independent publishing company in Chicago. Kolin has translated three books of short stories: Saturnalia by Rey Andújar, Flowers & Mishima’s Illustrated Biography by Mario Bellatín, and The Relentless City by Héctor Torres for 7Vientos Press and countless other things for other people. His work has been featured in Contratiempo, MAKE Magazine, and Keystrokes and has been rejected by prestigious publications across the United States. His playlists often have equal helpings of grunge and bachata and he wishes there were such a thing as vegetarian sancocho.
Andrew Hertzberg is the author of “Defenestration Day” (2019, Parafine Press). He self-published the short story and poetrycollection “The Sins of Reality/What Should I Be Doing With My Hands?” in 2018. His work has been featured in Belt Publishing’s Rust Belt Chicago: An Anthology, Motley Magazine, Post-Trash, Moonglasses Magazine, Since I Left You, Third Coast Review, Cheat River Review, and elsewhere. He doesn’t have an MFA.
Narraciones en Tiempos Distintos
Narrations in Different Times
7-9pm
Wednesday July 24th
La Bruquena Restaurant
2726 W. Division, Chicago
2nd floor
$5 donation suggested ~ No one turned away
En estos tiempos difíciles y en mérito a la evolucion de la lengua, contamos las historias que nuestros zapatos caminan, desde 4 perspectivas diferentes. Democracia, intertextualidad, el muro, THC, LGBTTQQIAAP, el decálogo, historias de supermarkets, literalidad, teorias secretas y mucho más.
Stories for difficult times and the evolution of the language, from 4 different perspectives. Democracy, intertextuality, the wall, THC, LGBTTQQIAAP, The Decalogue, supermarkets stories, literality, secret theories and much more.
Con:
Carolina Herrera
Anastacio Aranda
Lucia Wrooman
y
Miguel Marzana
(curator)
Anastacio Aranda es maestro de español y literatura en Chicago. Ha participado en Contratiempo desde el 2012 en cuya revista ha publicado cuentos así como poemas. //Anastacio Aranda is a teacher of Spanish and literature in Chicago. He has participated in Contratiempo since 2012 in whose magazine he has published short stories as well as poems.
Carolina A. Herrera (Monterrey, México, 1967). Licenciada en Ciencias Jurídicas, Universidad Regiomontana (1989), Master en Escritura Creativa, Universidad de Salamanca, (2019). #Mujer que piensa (El BeiSMan Press, 2016) es su primera novela y obtuvo el primer lugar del International Latino Book Award en la categoría Mejor Primera Novela (Mariposa Award) y Mención Honorífica en la categoría Mejor Novela – Romance. Ha participado en las antologías “Ni Bárbaras, ni Malinches” (Ars Comunis Editorial, 2017), “Palabras Migrantes, 10 ensayistas Mexican@s de Chicago” (El BeiSMan Press, 2018) y “Lujuria” (serie Pecados Capitales, Editorial Abigarrados, 2019). Miembro del Consejo Editorial de El Beisman. Oradora TEDx. Vive en Naperville, Illinois. // Carolina A. Herrera (Monterrey, Mexico, 1967). Licentiate in Legal Sciences, Universidad Regiomontana (1989), Master in Creative Writing, University of Salamanca, (2019). #Mujer que piensa (The BeiSMan Press, 2016) is her first novel and won the first place in the International Latino Book Award in the category Best First Novel (Mariposa Award) and Honorable Mention in the Best Novel – Romance category. She has participated in the anthologies “Ni Bárbaras, ni Malinches” (Ars Comunis Editorial, 2017), “Migrant Words, 10 mexican essayists of Chicago” (The BeiSMan Press, 2018) and “Lust” (series Deadly Sins, Editorial Varied , 2019). Member of the Editorial Board of El Beisman. Speaker TEDx. Lives in Naperville, Illinois.
Lucia Wrooman. (Cd. de México de 1960). Pertenezco a la generación “X” mis raíces son alemanas, españolas, francesas y muy poco mexicanas, pero la cultura prehispánica la llevo en mi corazón. Desde niña me apasionaron las cosas diferentes en todos los sentidos, descubrir, investigar y sobretodo aventurarme fueron mi pasión, es por eso que pienso que la migración esta en mis genes. En Chicago logre más que experiencias de vida, una educación que no tuve ni en México, ni en Europa ú algún otro sitio. Actualmente soy activista de los derechos de los inmigrantes. // Lucia Wrooman (Cd. Of Mexico of 1960). I belong to the generation “X” my roots are German, Spanish, French and very little Mexican, but I have the prehispanic culture in my heart. Since I was a child I was passionate about different things, always discovering, investigating and above all venturing were my passion, that’s why I think migration is in my genes. In Chicago, I achieved more than life experiences, an education that I had neither in Mexico, nor in Europe, or anywhere else. I am currently an immigrant rights activist.
Miguel Marzana, poeta y escritor boliviano. Es autor del poemario Descomposiciones – aceite de un cielo. Actualmente dirige el taller de poesía y creación literaria de la revista Contratiempo, es coordinador del proyecto de performance poético y poesía escénica prohibido leer, su obra ha sido publicada en varias antologías y revistas impresas y virtuales dentro y fuera de los EE. UU. forma parte del movimiento continental Cultura Viva Comunitaria. Parte de su obra ha sido traducida al inglés, quechua y catalán. // Miguel Marzana, Bolivian poet and writer. He is the author of the collection of poems: Decomposiciones; aceite de un cielo. He currently directs the workshop of poetry and literary creation of contratiempo magazine, he is coordinator of the project of poetic performance and scenic poetry: Prohibido Lee, his work has been published in several anthologies and printed and virtual magazines inside and outside the US. He is part of the continental movement Cultura Viva Comunitaria, part of his work has been translated into English, Quechua and Catalán.
SPECIAL NIGHT
Saturday April 13th, 2019
6:30-8:30 p.m.
La Bruquena Restaurant
2nd floor
2726 W. Division, Chicago
$5 donation suggested ~ No one turned away
Poesía en Abril is a multicultural and multidisciplinary festival presented by Contratiempo and DePaul University celebrating local, national and international poetry in Spanish. For the second year in a row, Palabra Pura is collaborating with the festival to present new bilingual poetic voices. This year we present visiting poets from the University of Iowa’s MFA in Spanish Creative Writing.
Poesía en Abril es un festival multicultural y multidisciplinario que celebra la poesía local, nacional e internacional en español. Te invitamos a una gran fiesta de lecturas, presentaciones multimedia, paneles y concursos. Por segundo año consecutivo, Palabra Pura colabora con el festival para presentar nuevas voces poéticas. En esta ocasión, nos visitan poetas del MFA de escritura creativa en español de la University of Iowa.
Featuring:
José Covo (Cartagena, Colombia, 1987). He has written the novels Osamentas relampagueantes (2015) and La oquedad de los Brocca (2016). He also works as an artist and has participated in numerous exhibitions. His Instagram account is @covo_ja
José Covo (Cartagena, Colombia, 1987). Autor de las novelas Osamentas relampagueantes (2015) y La oquedad de los Brocca (2016). También se desenvuelve como artista y ha participado en numerosas exhibiciones.
Oriette D’Angelo (Venezuela, 1990). Author of the poetry book Cardiopatías (Caracas, Monte Ávila Editores, 2016, Prize for Works of Authors Unpublished, 2014). Her second book of poetry, A través del ruido / Through the Noise, will be published in 2019 by Scrambler Books. She has Instagram and Twitter under the handle @oriettedangel
Oriette D’Angelo (Caracas, 1990). Autora del poemario Cardiopatías (Monte Ávila Editores, 2016; Premio para Obras de Autores Inéditos, 2014). Su más reciente poemario, A través del ruido / Through the Noise, será publicado en una edición bilingüe por Scrambler Books en el año 2019. Cursa el MFA en Escritura Creativa en Español en la Universidad de Iowa.
Laura Andrea Garzón (Bogotá, 1992). Profesional in Literature and Fine Arts from Los Andes University. MFA candidate in Spanish Creative Writing. Writes in public, draws in private, eats with spoon but only on Sundays. Her Instagram account is @ojoquevea
Laura Andrea Garzón (Bogotá, 1992). Literata y maestra en arte por la Universidad de Los Andes. Cursa el MFA en Escritura Creativa en Español en la Universida de Iowa. Dibuja a escondidas y come con cuchara los domingos.
Javier Hernández Feris (Sincelejo, Colombia, 1996). Majored in Economics at Universidad del Norte (Barranquilla). He is currently pursuing his MFA in Spanish Creative Writing at The University of Iowa. He worked as a journalist in Cartagena for local newspaper El Universal, where he published a number of chronicles. His Instagram account is @javih96
Javier Hernández Feris (Sincelejo, Colombia, 1996). Economista por la Universidad del Norte (Barranquilla). Cursa el MFA en Escritura Creativa en Español en la Universidad de Iowa. Trabajó como periodista en el periódico El Universal de Cartagena, publicando diversas crónicas.
Angela Pico (Bogota 1994) has lived in North Carolina since she was eight years old. She majored in Romance Languages at Pomona College, and was awarded a prize for best thesis for her bilingual work in French and Spanish. She is currently in her second year at the Spanish Creative MFA at the University of Iowa, where she was awarded the Iowa Arts Fellowship and the Stanley Award. She is also pursuing a masters in French Literature.
Angela Pico (Bogotá, 1994). Ha vivido en Estados Unidos desde los ocho años. Se graduó de Pomona College dónde obtuvo el premio a mejor tesis por su trabajo bilingüe en español y francés. Cursa el MFA en Escritura Creativa en Español en la Universida de Iowa, donde recibió la beca Iowa Arts Fellowship y el Stanley Award.
ONE POET/ONE POEM
Photo by Matthew LeJune
The Guild’s annual One Poet/One Poem event starts the year off by looking back. Past Palabra Pura performers are invited to return and share a single poem or other 3-minute piece, painting a portrait in snapshots of our ongoing bi-lingual reading series and all of the styles, voices, and communities it includes.
7 p.m.
Wednesday February 20th, 2019
La Bruquena Restaurant
2nd floor
2726 W. Division, Chicago
$5 donation suggested ~ No one turned away
Appetizers will be served (full menu in restaurant downstairs)
Curated by
Mary Hawley
Confirmed readers include:
Beatriz Badikian-Gartler
Silvia Goldman
Álvaro Hernando
Dawn Herrera
Miguel López Lemus
Emilio Maldonado
Pedro Pablo Marín
Elizabeth Marino
Brian Martin
Miguel Marzana
Yolanda Nieves
Fernando Olszanski
Jan Peña-Davis
Ruben Quesada
Martha Cecilia Rivera
Nancy Romo
Xenia Ruiz
Jacob Saenz
Sandra Santiago
om ulloa
& MORE!