FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Maya Salameh received the 2022 Etel Adnan Poetry Prize for her manuscript How to make an algorithm in the microwave. Salameh will receive a cash award of $ 1,000 and his manuscript will be published as the fifth title in the Etel Adnan poetry series by the University of Arkansas Press.
Edited by the poets Hayan Charara and Fady Joudah, the series proudly supports the work of writers of Arab heritage.
"I was delighted to hear that he had received this award," says Salameh. "Adnan is one of my sources of inspiration for writing, and I have really enjoyed the works in this series. Each collection felt like I was being let into a new secret, a new universe in my language. It is an honor to join this family. of books ".
On the genesis of the work he presented, Salameh emphasized that it was written "first and foremost for Arab girls, and all newly American girls were told to stay quiet and marry, often because they feel they are being suffocated."
Charara and Joudah noted that despite the global pandemic, the submissions for this year's award were some of the most successful and diverse manuscripts the series has seen. "Maya Salameh's poetry was noted for its inventiveness in deciphering the code of life 'between system and culture," they said.
The confluence of the divine and the digital is at the heart of How to make an algorithm in the microwave . In a layer of prayer, memory, and code, Salameh brings technological concepts into conversation with the daily machinations of femininity, be it eyeliner, lipstick, or blood.
She explores the intimate relationships we have with our devices, responding to an algorithm that serves as a watcher and observer, data thief, and surrogate confidant. Experimenting with photo and form to create an intimate collage of personal and neo-colonial history, these poems explore how an Arab girl survives the digitization of her body. In this collection, the Corinthians melt away from computers; Apostles, Aleppo and Amy Winehouse sing together.
“The twists and turns that the poems make are amazing; the expectations they bring down are remarkable, ”said Charara and Joudah. “His is an intelligent, happy and dynamic poetry that celebrates the form and the body. It is a testament to the aesthetic frontiers and intellectual revolt that poets of Arab heritage are fueling, breaking down, and reinventing. "
Maya Salameh is a Syrian and Lebanese American poet from San Diego, California. In 2016, he has written in places like the Obama White House and Carnegie Hall. His work has appeared in The Rumpus Asian American Writer's Workshop and The Brooklyn Review among others. 2020 served as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence at the Markaz Resource Center at Stanford University, and is Co-Chair of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts.
The U of A Press accepts submissions throughout the year for the Etel Adnan Poetry Series and annually awards the publication and the Etel Adnan Poetry Prize of $ 1,000 to a first or second book of poetry, in English, by a writer of Arabic heritage.
Since its inception in 2015, the series has sought to celebrate and nurture the writings and writers that make up the vibrant Arab American community, and the U of A Press has long been committed to publishing diverse types of poetry by a diversity of poets. . . The award is named after world-renowned poet, novelist, essayist and artist Etel Adnan. The publication is supported in part by the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the U of A.
About the University of Arkansas Press : The University of Arkansas Press, a division of the University of Arkansas Office of Research and Innovation, furthers the mission of the University of Arkansas by publishing peer-reviewed scholarships. peers and literature of enduring value. The Press publishes books by authors of diverse backgrounds who write for the general and specialized public in Arkansas and around the world.
About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, U of A offers an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $ 2.2 billion to the Arkansas economy through teaching new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and activity. creative while providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation ranks U of A in the top 3% of American colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. US News & World Report ranks U of A among the best public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world in Arkansas Research News.
Be First to Comment