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Colombian poet Felipe García Quintero to visit Lycoming College for reading and lecture

Well-known Colombian poet Felipe García Quintero will present his work during a bilingual public lecture and reading on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m., in the Lycoming College Humanities Research Center (HRC). Simultaneous interpretation will be provided by Gerardo Luna, Spanish language assistant at Lycoming. The event is free and open to the public.

Felipe García Quintero’s work is widely recognized across Colombian and Latin American literary circles, with his poems being included in various anthologies. His books have been translated into multiple languages, including French, English, Italian, Portuguese, and Arabic, and published in countries such as Canada, the United States, Italy, Brazil, and Syria.

He is the author of several poetry collections, including Vida de nadie (1999), Piedra vacía (2001), La herida del comienzo (2005), Mirar el aire (2009), Siega (2011), Terral (2013), Algún latido (2016), Animal de ayer (2018), and Rengo (2021), as well as the travel narrative Diario sucio. Un viaje por México (2015).

Throughout his career, García Quintero has received numerous prestigious literary awards, including the Pablo Neruda Prize in Chile (2000), the National Poetry Prize from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Colombia (2001), the Rafael Maya Literary Criticism Award (Colombia, 1998), the Encina de la Cañada International Poetry Prize (Spain, 1999), and the Eduardo Cote Lamus National Poetry Prize (Colombia, 2013).

In addition to the public lecture, García Quintero will conduct a poetry workshop for students and faculty, and will visit multiple classes to discuss topics that align with each course’s goals. In “Intro to Latin American Literature,” he will examine Garcia Marquez’s speech for the Nobel Prize and analyze the narratives of the encounter. He will discuss Latin American identity and culture in “Spanish for Heritage Speaker.” In “Latin American Politics,” García Quintero will address the challenges of Colombia’s left government in the context of the transitional peace accord and a history of civil conflict and political exclusion.

“Felipe García Quintero is one of the most influential voices in contemporary Colombian literature. His poetry falls like a steady rain, speaking through silence, unveiling the hidden layers of human existence and the stark realities of life,” said Rubén Varona, assistant professor of Spanish at Lycoming College.

“As a poet and scholar, Felipe García Quintero offers a multidisciplinary lens to deepen our students’ understanding of Latin America,” said Susan Achury, assistant professor of political science. “His exploration of the everyday provides crucial insights into the persistence of neocolonial structures and addresses global struggles for democracy and equity, revealing the lasting impacts of colonialism on our interconnected world.”

García Quintero (b. 1973, Colombia) lives in Popayán, where he is a professor and researcher in the social communication program at the University of Cauca. He holds a degree in literature and Spanish language from the University of Cauca, a master’s degree in Hispanic philology from the Institute of the Language of the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain; a master’s degree in cultural studies from the Simón Bolívar Andean University in Quito, Ecuador; and a doctoral degree in anthropology from the University of Cauca.

García Quintero’s visit to Lycoming College is made possible by a Curriculum Enhancement Grant in support of the Latin American Studies program. This interdisciplinary minor course of study allows students to pursue an in-depth study of the history, art, literature, and thought of the peoples and cultures of Latin America. Students draw from coursework on these topics plus philosophy, religion, ancient languages, and various art forms.

More information on academic programs at Lycoming College can be found online at https://www.lycoming.edu/academics/.

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