Artists blend image, poetry, song

Renowned artists Pierre Joris and Nicole Peyrafitte will present a multimedia program of poetry, song, and visual images--framed with contemporary dissident Iraqi poetry in translation--at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, in the Gowen Room of Wilson Commons.

Joris, an avant-garde poet and professor of English at the University of Albany, and Peyrafitte, an international visual and voice artist, created "SumericaBachBones," a performance that includes songs and digital images by Peyrafitte and work by Joris on various subjects, including the lives of ancient Sumerian women, the lives of contemporary nomads, dreamscapes, and desert lands.

Born in Luxembourg, Joris works in three languages--English, French, and German--and has lived in Great Britain, North Africa, France, and the United States. He is the author of more than 20 collections of poetry, including Poasis, h.j.r, and Winnetou Old, as well as several anthologies and numerous translations.

Peyrafitte, born in France, worked in theater and television and as a model and cook before coming to the United States in 1987. A multifaceted artist, she draws, paints, writes, and sings, and combines elements from all in her programs. She has performed in England, Norway, France, Luxembourg, and the United States.

Peyrafitte and Joris have collaborated for 13 years in multimedia performances. They will tour California and Europe this year with their new program, "&Toiles."

In Rochester, "SumericaBachBones" is sponsored by the Department of English, the Undergraduate English Council, and New Visions Programs, a community-based literary arts organization. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, call x5-4092.

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