Counterflows 2017 Line Vocabulary with Neil Davidson and Arild Vange

Performance by Neil Davidson and Arild Vange, and a discussion on the relationship between the art works, the writing and translation process, and the influence on improvisation on these.

Neil Davidson and Norwegian poet/translator Arild Vange have been working together since 2008 on improvised performances (readings), theatre collaborations, theoretical talks about improvisation and literature, and occasional publications. They have performed in Norway, Germany and the UK. Their theatre company DVELL is based in Trondheim, Norway.

This book launch is presented in association with Aye Aye Books who are publishing the new English version of Line Vocabulary, a book by Arild Vange and Per Formo translated from Norwegian by Neil Davidson. There will be a performance by Neil Davidson and Arild Vange followed by a discussion on the relationship between the Per Formo’s art (which gave rise to the poems), the writing and translation process, and the influence of improvisation on these.

Arild Vange is a poet, artist and translator. Following some early years studying economics and singing in punk/new wave bands, his first novel Ene og Alene was published in 1990. He lived for many years in Germany and for five years, occupied the honorary writer’s residence Adrianstua, belonging to the city of Trondheim from 2008 – 2013. Vange has written several critically-acclaimed books of poetry. His translations include works by Franz Kafka, Georg Trakl, Peter Waterhouse, Yoko Tawada, Thomas Kling and Anja Utler. He collaborates regularly with musicians including Lemur, En En En and Neil Davidson. In 2012, the improvisation company DVELL was formed around his long standing collaboration with Davidson. Vange is also working with the visual artist Per Formo.

Neil Davidson is a composer, writer and guitar player specialising in improvised music - including a new pop/composition project with Anneke Kampman of Conquering Animal Sound, a longstanding project with Norwegian poet Arild Vange, and regular collaborations with Michael Duch, Lemur, Jean-Luc Guionnet, Mariam Rezaei, Liene Rozite and Fritz Welch. He is also in the groups Asparagus Piss Raindrop (glitter ball of collaborative composition), The Final Five (exquisite corpse of free jazz), Yoke of Blood (lady garden of death metal), Muris (a cat with €50) and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra.