Kevin Holden Poetry Reading
Opening remarks by Elizabeth Delude-Dix:
Thank you to everyone who worked on this afternoon’s event. OutLoud is a JAC series presenting word-based works across all disciplines.
Kevin Holden is that rare combination of scholar and artist. Kevin grew up in Newport and Jamestown; is a graduate of two local schools St Michael’s and St George’s; received a BA from Harvard University, graduate degrees from Cambridge University and Iowa Writer’s Workshop where he also taught and is currently a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at Yale University. His translations of poetry from French, Russian and German appear in a variety of publications. He has been selected by the Harvard Society of Fellows, a lifetime appointment. Junior Fellows are chosen at the beginning of their career for the their extraordinary scholarly and intellectual potential.
Kevin’s work as both an artist and scholar draws from late 20th century art, a fertile period when groundbreaking new forms were created across many arts practices. In addition to hearing Kevin read, we will see a clip from the Stan Brakhage film, Mothlight. Jane Wodening and Stan Brakhages Scrapbooks were a topic of research at Yale’s Beineke Library. Photos projected from Kevin’s desktop collection include poets, composers, artists, scores, and early computers. The closing poem, Firn was written to Part 1 of Philip Glass’s Composition in 12 Parts. Mr Glass has generously given us permission to play Part 1.
Kevin is the author of six books of poetry: Identity, Glinting, Alpine, Sublimation, Solar for which he won the prestigious Fence Modern Poetry Prize, and Birch which Kevin will sign this afternoon following his reading and our discussion. Please do stay for the reception.
Kevin Holden’s poems have been described as Risky, Raw and Playful.
Please welcome Kevin Holden.
Listen to Kevin read “Bees” on the New Yorker’s website
Photos by Thomas Palmer
