Poet and author of numerous collections of poetry, including poems for children, Jan Skácel’s work will be commemorated in thematic events that will take place in Brno throughout 2022. Many of them will take place on the anniversary of Skácel’s birth on Monday, February 7th. Photo credit: Josef Pavelka – dědicové, 1988.
Brno, Feb. 5 2022 (BD) – The program begins at 3:30pm in the Moravian Library, which will be transformed for the occasion into an open collection of Jan Skacel’s poems. Entering the building, visitors will walk through a stylized book cover and “enter the book” in a symbolic way. Throughout the floors, they will find individual large-format pages of this “book” with Skácel’s poems, selected by 40 people for the installation, graphically arranged in book form.
“Skácel is one of our most important poets, not only as a classic, but as someone whose poems are still naturally part of our reading,” said Tomáš Kubíček, director of the Moravian Library. “We approached 42 celebrities for our project, and asked them to select one of their favourite Skácel poems to read and comment on. Only two refused for reasons of time. For all the others, it was a joyful mission, and their interpretations and comments reflect that”
The installation at the Moravian Library, entitled “Poems 2022”, will be followed by the exhibition “And suddenly, we are here forever…” at the Moravian Museum in the Dietrichstein Palace on Zelny trh. There will also be a preview of the new documentary “Searching for Jan Skácel”, followed by a discussion with the makers of the documentary. The anniversary will end on a celebratory note with an evening of music and poetry at the Centre for Experimental Theatre’s Cellar Stage.
“I am pleased that we have managed to put together a series of events that will commemorate Jan Skácel this year,” said Miroslav Oščatka, director of the Centre for Experimental Theatre. “He is undoubtedly a poet who spoke to and influenced many people. We are very happy to hold a memorial evening in his honour – I believe people will come to our theatre to remember him.”
