Hamburg – Poet, essayist and translator Federico Italiano will be the guest of the Italian Cultural Institute in Hamburg for a special literary event organized in collaboration with Kiel University (CAU).
On June 25 at 7 p.m., Italiano will present Arcadiæ, a poetry project exploring Italian landscapes through readings in both Italian and German. The title evokes a plurality of perspectives and recalls the historical association of Italy with Arcadia, the ancient Greek region traditionally regarded as the birthplace of pastoral poetry.
Over the centuries, the concept of Arcadia evolved beyond its geographical origins, eventually becoming linked to Italy itself, inspiring Goethe’s famous exclamation, “Auch ich in Arkadien!” (“I too in Arcadia”), recorded in his Italian Journey.
Today, however, Arcadian landscapes are no longer viewed solely through idyllic or pastoral lenses. Contemporary interpretations increasingly incorporate dystopian and ecocritical perspectives, transforming Arcadia into a multifaceted vision of landscape. These themes will be at the heart of the evening’s poetry readings.
On June 26, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Italiano will also lead a workshop on literary translation.