[Launch] PACES THE CAGE with S*an D. Henry-Smith

nihilist longevity, all praise 

                    Daughters of Resentment, our soured

tongues thirst for water, & we will not stop seeking our satisfaction until we are unthirsty. 

We're excited to welcome you for the Brussels launch of PACES THE CAGE, S*an D. Henry-Smith’s second full-length book of poems, recently published by The Song Cave. Together with a cast of diasporically-encountered collaborators, changing in each city, the poet and artist presents an improvised reading-performance. Henry-Smith will be joined by the acclaimed DJ, livwutang, and Brussels-born singer-songwriter, vixnde, together activating the publication through sound and voice.

Welcome!

Schedule

19:00 reading and performance by S*an D. Henry-Smith, livwutang and vixnde

About PACES THE CAGE

S*an D. Henry-Smith’s second full-length book of poems, PACES THE CAGE, lifts off from their previous book, Wild Peach (2020), by expanding an already-queered language to near breaking point. Through the complexities of Henry-Smith’s personal experiences and the use of a poetically fragmented voice, the literal and metaphorical are here remixed in real time. Henry-Smith’s occasional inclusion of ambient sounds and a musical language and tone used throughout the book helps to build a rich auditory landscape that enhances the immersive quality of the poems, creating a deep and evocative collection by this adventurous and endlessly exciting artist. As if it were an improvised performance itself, PACES THE CAGE actively tunes personal and historical narratives of oppression and adversity with the act of speaking, and what it means to be truly heard by a community of one’s fellow creators and collaborators.

S*an D. Henry-Smith is a poet and photographer, working by extension in sound, performance, and publishing. Social: @lil_sunchoke

About livwutang

Since emerging from Seattle’s eclectic DIY scene, livwutang has established herself as one of dance music’s most singular yet versatile voices. The New York-based DJ has enraptured dancers across continents with an inimitable sonic world that feels futuristic in its commitment to Black music, its artistry and its history. Social: @livwutang

About vixnde

*vixnde: pronounced viande [vjɑ̃d], meaning “meat” in French is the product of a lifetime by Brussels-born singer-songwriter Viana Afoumou. Her genre? Raw pop. Social: @vixnde