I am Anjuhimeko

Japanese poet Itō Hiromi meets sound artist Ramona Ponzini

Saturday, June 1st . 4 PM

I am Anjuhimeko: Japanese Poet Itō Hiromi meets Sound Artist Ramona Ponzini

The MAO, in collaboration with the Department of Humanities of the University of Turin, presents “Watashi wa Anjuhimeko dearu”, a reading performance by poet Itō Hiromi in dialogue with sound artist Ramona Ponzini.

The text is inspired by the legend of Anju, the deity of Mount Iwaki, narrated in the 1930s by a shamaness. Through an intense reading of the poetry, embodying the voice of the spirit during possession, Itō becomes the spokesperson for the psychological injuries experienced by Anjuhimeko, the young protagonist.

The performance addresses complex themes such as trauma and abuse with the aim of reconstructing the voices of women relegated to the margins of historical and cultural memory throughout the centuries.

Ramona Ponzini’s intervention consists of a double translation operation, both vocal and musical: while the poet’s words are rendered in Italian and English, the atmospheres of the poem are conveyed through an original sound performance.

Free admission.

Bio Itō Hiromi
Poet. Born in 1955. She has written poetry, novels, and essays on the themes of the female body and life. She has already published over 90 books. Her 2007 novel "Togenuki: Shin-sugamo Jizō Engi" has been translated into English with the title “The Thorn Puller” and in German and Norwegian and has been well received. In Asia she is popular for her collections of essays depicting the lives of middle-aged women based on feminism.

Bio Ramona Ponzini
Sound artist, curator and japanologist. Over the years, Ponzini has collaborated with prominent figures such as Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Tom Greenwood of Jackie-O Motherfucker, and with industrial percussionist Z’ev. Her solo project consists of unusual DJ sets contaminated by vocal interactions and sound collages. Her artworks and performances were hosted by Castello di Rivoli - Museum of Contemporary Art, OGR in Turin, MACRO in Rome, and Towner Eastbourne, UK.