On Tuesday 4 November, the intimate surrounding of Wai-te-ata Press hosted the joint launch of two new poetry translations by School of Languages and Cultures staff, Fabiano Alborghetti’s Directory of the Vulnerable (Registro dei fragili), translated into English by Dr Marco Sonzogni of the Italian programme, and Pablo Valdivia's Breathing Underwater (Respirar bajo el agua) translated into English by Dr Ross Woods of the Spanish and Latin American Sudies programme. The event featured readings by both translators in English, Italian and Spanish.

At the launch, Dr Woods commented, "These translations are a labour of love and it is wonderful to see so many faces from inside and outside the university in attendance. It shows that translation matters and it matters in New Zealand. Literature in translation is the lifeblood of a vibrant, outward looking national literature."

The translations, published by Guernica Editions (Toronto), are part of a broader research project on transnational poetry for which Dr Sonzogni and Dr Woods were recently awarded a Victoria University Research Fund Grant. Taking the Italian poetry of Fabiano Alborghetti – born in Italy in 1970 and now writing out of Switzerland – and the Spanish poetry of Pablo Valdivia – born in Spain in 1981 and now writing out of The Netherlands – as a case study, this project examines the diffusion, visibility, reception, influence and translatability of contemporary transnational European poetry.

"These poets represent two ideal case studies, located at once within and across national borders. Their poetry exhibits strong similarities of imagination and expression, while also displaying many of the feature that we believe define transnational poetics: growing urban alienation and tensions; environmental consciousness and responsibilities; intellectual militancy and political resistance; the media and social interactions; the incessant globalization and commercialization of literature," says Dr Sonzogni.

The launch included a very special reader, Dr Woods' young son Jake, whose excitement could only be contained when he became part of the event.

This event is another in the series of creative conversations held at Wai-te-ata Press.
Copies of each book are available from the translators or through wtapress@vuw.ac.nz.

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