Nanni Balestrini

Writer, poet and novelist, Nanni Balestrini was born in Milano on July 2nd, 1935.

At the start of the 1960s he was part of the “very new” poets of “Gruppo 63”, a group that brought together writers from the neo-avant-garde, and he distinguished himself for an experimentation that arrived at the point of adopting techniques related to collage, and at a deep understanding of the incidence of chance in poetry. In the same spirit, Balestrini has been a cultural animator, curator of anthological shows, and spokesman for political dissent.

In 1963 he created his first poem with the use of a computer.

In his novels (Tristano, 1966; Vogliamo tutto, 1971; La violenza illustrata, 1976; Gli invisibili, 1987; L’editore, 1989; Una mattina ci siamo svegliati, 1995; Sandokan, storie di camorra, 2004), and in his poetry (Come si agisce, 1963; Ma noi facciamone un’altra, 1968; Le ballate della signorina Richmond, 1977; Il ritorno della signorina Richmond, 1987; Osservazioni sul volo degli uccelli, poesie 1954-56, 1988; Il pubblico del labirinto, 1992; Elettra, 2001), he fine tuned his contamination of literary experiments and political extremism which, however, was characterised by its coherent theoretical backing.

Among his most recent works, mention should be made of: the collection of poems Sconnessioni (2009), Almanacco dello specchio 2009 (2010), Caosmogonia (2010); the three short stories published under the title of Girano voci. Tre storie (2010); and his collection of poetry Antologica. Poesie 1958-2010 (2013). A promoter of avant-garde culture, together with other intellectuals he had a determining role in the inception of the cultural magazines, Il Verri, Quindici, and Zoooom.

He has flanked his literary work with a visual arts output that has been seen in shows and performances in numerous galleries in Italy and abroad, as well as at the Venice Biennale in 1993 and at Documenta, Kassel, in 2012.

Nanni Balestrini died in Rome on 20 May 2019.

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