Poetry as a commodity? Popular poetry between commercialization and art
November 29, 2023, 19.30
Universität Hamburg, Philosophenturm, Hörsaal C, Von-Melle-Park 6, 20146 Hamburg
Commercially successful formats such as slam poetry and Instapoetry are often accused of abandoning literary quality in favor of popular success. This criticism is not only being levelled from outside the scene, for example, by newspaper arts sections, but also from within the respective scenes themselves. Poetry slam organizers like Thomas Geyer, for example, have criticized humorous slam poems for increasingly dominating poetry slams. These critical statements often contain an implicit assumption that we would like to discuss: Can commercial success only be enjoyed at the expense of aesthetic quality? This question applies not only to young formats like slam poetry and Instapoetry but also to the field of “functional poetry” (Gebrauchslyrik), e.g., poetry that is commissioned for ceremonial events. Does poetry lose its aesthetic quality as soon as it becomes a commodity?
With
PD Dr. Niels Penke (Literary scholar; Siegen)
David Friedrich (Poet; Hamburg)
Moderation: Dr. Henrik Wehmeier (Media scholar, PoetryDA)
Free entry