Midday poetics // September 16 at 11-13.00

Welcome to Midday poetics in Tampere’s old market hall! We are inspired by the Midnight poetics event organized in Hiedanranta as part of a workshop this summer, during the magical midnight sun by ex-industrial buildings at the lakeside. As a contrast, we will this time explore the bustling Midday lunch moments among the cosy and small-scale indoor market stalls.

You can come with an idea of a poem, a portion of a text, or lyrics that you want to share with others. Text can be yours or written by someone else. We will start by gathering at the entrance from Hämeenkatu. Then we will slowly stroll around in the market hall, and whenever someone feels that a spot is inviting, we stop, and the person reads out loud the text he or she has brought. You can read it in whatever language you like. What we experienced in Hiedanranta demonstrated us that once you do not understand all the words, the tones, rhythms, and feelings surface more. You can also choose the texts on the go (we can find almost anything from the internet these days) and let the space and the people inspire you. There is no need to be at all experienced in reading out these kinds of things. This is an experiment, and most of all, an experience, where new kinds of meanings and memories become attached to our everyday places and people.

You can join the event also once it has already started, or you can leave whenever you feel like it. Event will last as long as we have inspired participants and we can have a cup of coffee together to share our thoughts afterwards.

Event is organized by Insurgent Spatial Practices collective as part of Kiosk 108 initiative, that brings culture into the market hall through Tampere City’s Meanwhile Use scheme. The basic idea of the scheme is to test temporary uses for activating vacant spaces. Despite the historical and cultural value of the market hall, many small entrepreneurs are balancing on the verge of whether it is economically possibly or not to continue. Several stalls are empty already. Here we continue on the footsteps of the Midnights poetics event as well, as the appropriation of vacant spaces was a central theme there, like it is in the COST Action named Writing Urban Places that offers the broader framework for us to understand what takes place in events such as this one.

When: Friday September 16 at 11.00-13.00 // Where: Tampere Market Hall

Image by kallerna.