Video
(Im) possibilities of poetry translation

Is it even possible to translate poetry or should we be speaking of re-writing and alteration? How much distance is one allowed or should be willing to take from the original? Does that alter our concept regarding the purpose and work of a translation? From the traditional question of “fidelity” to viewing translation as an open process, there is a longstanding and animated debate.

Elena Pallantza, herself a poetry translator from German into Greek and vice versa, met the poet Maren Kames in a conversation with Marina Agathangelidou, who is currently working on Kame's book LUNA LUNA and its translation into Greek. Insights into the writing and translation workshop and an exchange about form, sound and meaning using the example of German and Greek are intended to show the variety of criteria with which this complex work is approached.

Watch the trailer here:
 

Watch the recording of the seminar here: