Blurring Empire: A Visual Poetry Workshop
How does visual poetry make space for multiplicity?
‘Nations themselves are narrations. The power to narrate, or to block other narratives from forming and emerging, is very important to culture and imperialism.’ – Edward Said
Seeking inspiration from the innovative visual forms employed by Terrence Hayes, George Abraham and Monica Ong to blur and fragment the singular narrative of empire, we will explore how visual poetry can make space for multiplicity. By playing with the page as a visual and communal space, we will explore non-linear and interactive possibilities in poetry to create new modes of reading and writing.
We will also work off-the-page on natural materials to develop poems in new shapes and formats. This will be a low-pressure, experimental workshop for writers of any level interested in creating outside the traditions of empire.
One off In-person Session on Saturday 27 April, 2pm–4.30pm (BST). This course will take place at Somerset House, Strand, London, WC2R 1LA.
Concessions & Accessibility
To apply for a concessionary rate, please send relevant documentation showing your eligibility for one of our concessions to [email protected]; conditions of eligibility are detailed here. If you have any questions, wish to be added to the waiting list of a sold-out course, or require any form of adjustment to access our courses, please email [email protected]. For more information visit our In Person Courses page.
Image credit: Andrew Neel
About Rona Luo 
View Profile
Rona Luo is a queer, neurodivergent poet and acupuncturist working at the intersection of decolonial healing, somatics and writing as embodied practice. She has received fellowships and scholarships from Tin House, Kundiman and Southbank Centre’s New Poets Collective. Her recent work appears or is forthcoming in The Massachusetts Review, ANMLY, Honey Literary, Mom Egg Review, fourteen poems, Suspect Journal, and Bi+ Lines anthology. Her speculative visual poetry has been exhibited at London’s Royal Festival Hall.
"The course stimulated new ideas and encouraged a consistency in my writing practice. It was good to feel let of a group and share feedback."
Prosody & Rhyme
Poems as Constellations
What Clickbait Can Teach Us about Poetry