The Contemporary Kunshan Poetry Anthology & Exhibition project highlights the artistic activity in the 江南 (Jiangnan) region, linking our DKU community with the broader Kunshan artistic community. Kunshan has a thriving contemporary poetry scene, and this project will connect local poets with DKU. The project has two main components: a bilingual anthology of poems in Chinese with English translations, featuring poems from approximately 20 poets, and an exhibition that showcases approximately 5-8 local poets – poets who currently live or have lived in Kunshan – and places their work within the context of Kunshan culture and history as well as that of the broader 江南 region.
The anthology interacts with two local poetry groups in Kunshan: 夏季风诗群 (Summer Breeze Poetry) and 野马渡诗歌雅集 (Yema Du Poetry Gathering). Zhiyuan Mark Ma, Yuruo Zhang, and Professor Ye Odelia Lu are involved in translating from Chinese into English with Professor Stephanie Anderson and Sydney Brown providing translation support. Supplemental to the anthology is the exhibition, which will contain four types of display material: interview clips with 5-8 poets, selections from their manuscripts, historical and cultural information about Kunshan poetry, and broadsides of poems. Sydney and Yuruo will curate the exhibit with student artists designing broadside posters.
