Dominique Sorrente was born in Nevers, France in 1953. He spent his childhood in various cities and regions of France, including Marseille and the Morvan forests and the Vendée on the Atlantic coast. He moved in 1970 to Aix-en-Provence where he began to write poetry passionately. In that year, aged 17, he made several important acquaintances, notably with the mystic poet, Christian Guez Ricord (1948-1988) in whom he recognised his “older brother in poetry” and who was to have a lasting influence on his work. In 1975, in Paris, he founded the journal “Avalanche” which he edited for four years with the novelist, Michel Orcel. After studying Political Sciences and European Studies in Paris and Bruges, he returned to Marseille where he decided to devote himself to teaching.
Le Western Writers’ Centre presentera le poète francais, Dominique Sorrente, à une lecture à The Imperial Hotel, Eyre Square, Galway, mercredi , 8 octobre, à partir de 8pm. La lecture sera en français et anglais. Entrée gratuite. Dominique Sorrente est né à Nevers,1953. Il est allé à Aix en Provence, où il commençait à composer la poésie. Cette année, âgé 17, il faisait plusieurs connaissances importantes, par exemple avec le poète ésoterique, Christian Guez Ricord (1948-1988) son “frère aîné dans la poésie.”1975, à Paris, il a fondé la revue “Avalanche.” Il a étudié à Paris et Bruges, et il est revenu à Marseille.
His first book (Citadelles et Mers, 1978) was published by the well-known Mediterranean and International Review, Sud. Later on, he became an influential member of the committee of Sud, being more and more involved in the destiny of this review until it disappeared in 1997. In 1982, a young editor, Jean-François Manier (Cheyne editions), accepted his manuscript La Lampe allumée sur Patmos. From then on, Cheyne was to become, for over twenty years, his principal publisher. Dominique Sorrente was elected laureate by the Marseille Academy in 1983, and “Guy Levis Mano” laureate in 1984; he subsequently received several literary Prizes: “Luc Bérimont”, “Antonin Artaud” and “Louis Guillaume” as well as two grants from the Centre National du Livre (French Ministry of Culture). Later on, he became a member of different boards such as the Jean Malrieu Prize. Recently he received the Sainte-Victoire Prize in Aix-en-Provence. He has published some twenty books and anthologies, including a bilingual poetry collection, A Crayon for the Rainbow (Publibook, 2003). A new book was published in March 2007, called Mandala des jours (Publibook). Dominique Sorrente’s writing has also been published in several journals, both in France and abroad. Poems have been translated into English, but also in German, Romanian, Italian, Chinese, and some other languages such as Provençal. He currently gives regular readings, lectures and seminars in France and internationally (Prague, Venice, Marrakech, Naples) He participates regularly in literary events in France, such as the Printemps des Poètes. In 2007, he was invited to the first “Primavera dei poeti” in Turin, In 1999 : a retrospective exhibition “Voix, poème, encre & compagnie” was dedicated to Dominique Sorrente and other collaborating artists (painters, musicians, sculptors, poets), organized in Aix-en-Provence by the Saint-John Perse Foundation created in honour of the Nobel Prize winner. In 2006 Dominique Sorrente was selected for an international Residence in Lavigny Castle (Switzerland).
“We are delighted to be able to host a prominent French writer in Galway,” said the Centre’s Director, Fred Johnston, “and this is something we have been striving to do for some time. Hopefully we will do more of it. We need to hear other types of poetry than our own and the contemporary French poetry scene is particularly vibrant.” The Western Writers’ Centre would like to thank Madame Francoise Connolly of the Ambassade de France, Dublin.
*******************************************
