Joan Salvat-Papasseit
Encyclopedia
Joan Salvat-Papasseit (Barcelona
, 16 May 1894 - 7 August 1924) was a Catalan
poet
, though he also wrote articles
, manifestos and other prose
of a political and social nature. He wrote primarily in Catalan
, although he had an early period of essay-writing in Spanish
.
His work is notable for its nonconformity
, idealism
and foreboding of premature death. His poetry
, with both avant-garde
and traditional influences, begins with the publication of "Poemes en ondes hertzianes" (Poems in Hertzian Waves) in 1919, moving to "La gesta dels estels" (The Exploit of the Stars) in 1922 and culminates with the poet's vital enthusiasm in "El poema de la rosa als llavis" (Poem of the Rose in the Lips) in 1923.
The city of Barcelona has honored him with a statue at the Moll de la Fusta wharf by Robert Krier
(Luxembourg
, 1938), the pedestal of which bears a plaque with his poem, "Nocturn per a acordió", referring to the period when the poet was a night watchman there. His poetry has been brought to the public at large, in particular through musical arrangements and recitals by Lluís Llach
, Ovidi Montllor
, Guillermina Motta, Ramon Muntaner, Xavier Ribalta, Joan Manuel Serrat
and Rafel Subirachs, amongst others, as well as Carles Andreu in France.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, 16 May 1894 - 7 August 1924) was a Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, though he also wrote articles
Article (publishing)
An article is a written work published in a print or electronic medium. It may be for the purpose of propagating the news, research results, academic analysis or debate.-News articles:...
, manifestos and other prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
of a political and social nature. He wrote primarily in Catalan
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
, although he had an early period of essay-writing in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.
His work is notable for its nonconformity
Nonconformity
Nonconformity may refer to:* Nonconformity , a memoir by Nelson Algren, published posthumously in 1992* Nonconformity , a term in quality management* A type of unconformity in geology...
, idealism
Idealism
In philosophy, idealism is the family of views which assert that reality, or reality as we can know it, is fundamentally mental, mentally constructed, or otherwise immaterial. Epistemologically, idealism manifests as a skepticism about the possibility of knowing any mind-independent thing...
and foreboding of premature death. His poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, with both avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
and traditional influences, begins with the publication of "Poemes en ondes hertzianes" (Poems in Hertzian Waves) in 1919, moving to "La gesta dels estels" (The Exploit of the Stars) in 1922 and culminates with the poet's vital enthusiasm in "El poema de la rosa als llavis" (Poem of the Rose in the Lips) in 1923.
The city of Barcelona has honored him with a statue at the Moll de la Fusta wharf by Robert Krier
Robert Krier
Rob Krier is a Luxembourgian sculptor, architect, urban designer and theorist. He is former professor of architecture at Vienna University of Technology, Austria...
(Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, 1938), the pedestal of which bears a plaque with his poem, "Nocturn per a acordió", referring to the period when the poet was a night watchman there. His poetry has been brought to the public at large, in particular through musical arrangements and recitals by Lluís Llach
Lluís Llach
Lluís Llach i Grande is a Catalan composer and songwriter.Though partially dependent on arrangers, like Manel Camp or Carles Cases in his early works, Llach's songwriting has largely evolved from the more basic early compositions to a vastly more complex harmonic and melodic writing...
, Ovidi Montllor
Ovidi Montllor
-Career:At the age of 24, Montllor moved to Barcelona, where he was a member of various independent theater groups, including the CICF, and later with Núria Espert and Adrià Gual...
, Guillermina Motta, Ramon Muntaner, Xavier Ribalta, Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat
Joan Manuel Serrat i Teresa is a Catalan Spanish singer-songwriter.Serrat is considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in both the Spanish and Catalan languages...
and Rafel Subirachs, amongst others, as well as Carles Andreu in France.
Poetry
- Poemes en ondes hertzianes (Poems in Hertzian Waves, 1919)
- L'irradiador del Port i les gavines (The Port Irradiator and the Seagulls, aka The Port Beacon and the Seagulls, 1921)
- Les conspiracions (The Conspiracies, 1922)
- La gesta dels estels (The Exploit of the Stars, 1922)
- El poema de la rosa als llavis (Poem of the Rose in the Lips, 1923)
- Óssa Menor (Ursa Minor, 1925, published posthumously)
Essays, Articles
- Glosas de un socialista (1916)
- Humo de fábrica (1918)
- Mots propis, a series of philosophical essays inspired by Nietzche and Torres-Garcia, published in the literary magazine, Un Enemic del Poble (1917–1919)
- La ploma d'Aristarc, unpublished
Manifestos or Programmatic Texts
- Sóc jo que parlo als joves (1919)
- Concepte de poeta (1919)
- Contra els poetes amb minúscula: primer manifest català futurista (1920)
Literary Magazines He Founded or Co-Founded
- Un Enemic del Poble (1917–1919)
- Arc-Voltaïc (1918)
- Proa (1921)