ENRIC CASASSES (Barcelona, 1951)
Enric Casasses is one of the vital voices of presentday Catalan poetry. His work first became known in alternative circles in the 1960s, mainly through readings and publications of limited circulation. From the 1990s onwards, his work, now featured in the catalogues of mainstream publishers, has been widely acclaimed both by readers and literary critics alike. He has also played an essential role in making poetry readings increasingly popular in the Catalan-speaking world. As a translator, he has published translations of works by Arthur Conan Doyle, Gérard de Nerval and William Blake, among other authors.
He is author of La cosa aquella (1982) (That Thing), Desfà els grumolls (1994)(Unclotting the Clots), Calç (1996) (Lime), D’equivocar-se així (1997) (On Being Wrong Like That); Canaris fosforescents (2001) (Phosphorescent Canaries) Que dormim? (2002) (and Shall We Sleep?), among others. His books have been awarded the most relevant Catalan literary prizes. In 2005 he recorded a unique and very personal piece entitled La manera més salvatge (2005) (The Most Savage Manner) with musician Pascal Comelade.
The poetry of Enric Casasses reveals very heterogeneous influences (from medieval, Renaissance and Baroque poets through to avant-garde poetry and pop culture), while experimenting with new forms or satirically reworking traditional genres. His extensive knowledge of the Catalan literary tradition, from medieval to avantgarde and popular poetry, together with his vast linguistic virtuosity and prodigious sense of rhythm and meter, allow him to convey an own universe “between fable and reality, of a rare intensity and an extreme vigour”.
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SELECTED WORKS
· No hi érem
(Empúries, 1993) [‘We Were Not There’].
· Començament dels començaments i ocasió de les ocasions
(Empúries, 1994) [‘Beginning of Beginnings and Occasion of Occasions’].
· Calç
(Proa, 1996) [‘Lime’].
· D’equivocar-se així
(Empúries / Edicions 62, 1997)[‘On Being Wrong Like That’].
· Uh
(Contàiner, 1997) [‘Uh’].
· De la nota del preu del sopar del mosso
(Ediciones del Khan, 1998) [‘From The Bill for the Lad’s Supper’].
· Plaça Raspall: poema en set cants
(Edicions 62, 1998) [‘Plaça Raspall: Poem in Seven Songs’].
· Canaris fosforescents
(Empúries, 2001) [‘Phosphorescent Canaries’].
· Que dormim?
(Edicions 62 / Empúries, 2002) [‘Shall We Sleep?’].
· Descalç
(Emboscall, 2002) [‘Barefoot’].
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LATEST WORKS IN TRANSLATION
ENGLISH
· Light off water [Anthology], tr. Anna Crowe. Edinburgh: Scottish Poetry Library, 2007.
GERMAN
· Die Spezialität des Hauses. Neue katalanische Literatur [Anthology], tr. Roger Friedlein. Dortmund: Grafit, 2001.
· Vier nach. Katalanische Lyrik nach der Avantgarde [Anthology], tr. Àxel Sanjosé. munich: Stiftung Lyrik Kabinett, 2007.
RUSSIAN
· 40 poslie 39 [Anthology], tr. Elena Zernova. Sant Petersburg: Sankt Petersburgskogo Universiteta, 2002.
SPANISH
· De la nota del precio de la cena del mozo, tr. m. Vendrell Costa-Pau. Barcelona: Ediciones del Khan, 1997.
· Sol de sal la nueva poesía catalana (antología 1976-2001), tr. Jordi Virallonga. Barcelona: DVD Ediciones, 2001.
· Canarios fosforescentes, tr. O. Guillén. Toluca: Instituto mexiquense de Cultura, 2004.
· La cosa aquella, tr. m. Noguer Ferrer & C. Guzmán moncada. Guadalajara: Arlequín, 2004.
· He decidido seguir viviendo... [Anthology], tr. José Bru & Jorge Souza. mexico: Universidad de Guadalajara, 2004.
· Resonancias. Poesía catalana contemporánea [Anthology], tr. marta Noguer Ferrer & Carlos Guzmán Moncada. méxico: UNAm, 2004.
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