Deep Curation is a theory and practice of experimental poetry performance developed by Klara du Plessis since 2018, emphasizing the directed and mediated nature of the literary event as sounded and gestural, and the act of curation as artform. Deep Curation is curious to shape readings that enter poets’ work into dialogue with each other, to excerpt, rearrange, intertwine, and rewrite a new, collective script for performance. The process is intended to be collaborative, improvisational, and playful, expanding the minimalism of the poetry reading format with movement, costumes, props, and audiovisual technology to emphasize a dynamic and affective practice.
Klara has curated eight events to date. Below are three more detailed examples of previous Deep Curation performances.
Kama La Mackerel, Alexei Perry Cox. Théâtre aux Écuries. Studio303.
Credit: Kimura Byol and Klara du Plessis
We’ve Weave is the most recent and most speculative rendition of Deep Curation to date. Created collaboratively over a month-long residency at Studio303 in Montreal, poets and performers Alexei Perry Cox and Kama La Mackerel, and curator Klara du Plessis, produced a 45-minute performance that incorporates ritual pouring of salt, dancing to Madonna’s "La Isla Bonita,” and intertwining, multilingual voices. We’ve Weave observes themes of place, identity formation, and grief surrounding islands, binaries, and borders.
Performed at White Wall Studio, 28 July 2022,
and Théâtre aux Écuries, Montreal, 9 August 2022
Clip from We’ve Weave Deep Curation
performance with
Alexei Perry Cox and Kama La Mackerel
Credit: Kaaria Quash
4th Space, Concordia University.
Margaret Christakos, Kaie Kellough.
Credit: Bindu Reddy
Featuring poets and performers Margaret Christakos, Kaie Kellough, and Deanna Radford, this iteration of Deep Curation formed the finale of a sequence of events. The day started with a panel discussion about curation, hosting Jason Camlot and Danielle St. Amour, in addition to the performers. This was followed by a playful exercise that invited participants to create their own dialogic performances in miniature. Finally, the performance reorganized chairs into a circle, allowing the performers to face one another, seated at three of its cardinal points. While Klara du Plessis designed a script, it included prompts to open that script towards improvisation, polyvocality, and cacophony.
Performed at 4th Space, Concordia University, Montreal,
7 November 2019
Café Resonance. Erin Robinsong. Canisia Lubrin, Aaron Boothby, Klara du Plessis.
Credit: Michael Kovacs
One of the very first, tentative experiments with Deep Curation, Klara du Plessis created an outline that directed the poets to read poems in a predetermined order. She also performed alongside the invited poets, Aaron Boothby, Canisia Lubrin, and Erin Robinsong. The performance was part of a double bill that included Katherine McLeod’s Poetry Flamenco project.
Performed at Café Resonance, Montreal, as part of the Mile End Poets’ Festival, 24 November 2018
Playwrights Theatre, Boston University. Sawako Nakayasu and Lee Ann Brown
Deep Curation poetry readings cuated by Klara du Plessis, 2018-2022
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Aaron Boothby, Klara du Plessis, Canisia ubrin. 24 August 2018. Knife Fork Bookstore, Toronto.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Aaron Boothby, Klara du Plessis, Canisia Lubrin, Erin Robinsong. 24 November 2018, Mile End Poets’ Festival, Resonance Café, Montreal.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Jason Camlot, Klara du Plessis, Deanna Fong, Katherine McLeod. 14 Feburary 2019, 4th Space, Concordia University, Montreal.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Oana Avasilichioaei, Liz Howard, Tess Liem. 3 May 2019, Hôtel 10, International Blue Metropolis Literary Festival, Montreal.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Kayla Czaga, Klara du Plessis, Daniel Hugo, Samuel Osaze, Jolyn Phillips. 2 July 2019, Centenary Complex Gallery, Vrystaat Kunstefees, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Margaret Christakos, Kaie Kellough, Deanna Radford. 7 November 2019, 4th Space, Concordia University, Montreal.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Lee Ann Brown Fanny Howe, Sawako Nakayasu. 30 January 2020, Playwrights Theatre, Boston University, Boston, U.S.A.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Kama La Mackerel, Alexei Perry Cox. 28 July 2022, White Wall Studio, Montreal, and 9 August 2022, Théâtre aux Écuries, Montreal.
Deep Curation poetry reading featuring Kaie Kellough and Chantal Neveu. “Writing the Environment / Écrire l’Environnement.” 24 November 2023, Salon du Livre, Montreal. (Did not happen as planned due to illness)
