Hedwig Gorski

Poet, Spoken Word Artist

US
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Author's Bio

Hedwig Gorski coined the term “performance poetry” to describe her spoken word in drama and radio broadcasts in the early 1980s. She published and produced six books and records of poetry before 1994. Intoxication: Heathcliff on Powell Street (Slough, 2009) reflects about her 1978 conceptual theater and cut-up verse drama. She received a BFA in painting from Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (1976) and a Ph.D. from UL (2001). Her Polish father and Ukrainian mother immigrated to the United States from Poland's frontier, Galicia, now in Ukraine, where two aunts and her grandmother were murdered by Ukrainian partisans during WWII. They arrived on the General Sturgis through New Orleans, Louisiana. In Austin, Texas, Gorski's career intensified after finding it in New Orleans during 1973-74 while working for NOLA Express (1973) with Charles Bukowski. Written by agent Catherine Allen

Publications & Prizes

Poetry

Anthology:
Hispanic American Literature Encyclopedia (Facts On File, 2007)
Journal:
Karawane

Spoken Word

Books:
Intoxication: Heathcliff on Powell Street (Slough Press, 2006)
,
Slow Paradise (Shinebone Press, 1998)
Journal:
Poetry Repair Shop
Performances:
Borders Books - Houston, TX (2008)
,
Polish American Historical Association, Annual Meeting - Washington, DC (2008)
,
Cafe Krzystofore, Krakow, Poland (2004)
,
Thirteen Donuts Radio Drama, KRVS-FM (2000)
,
Audio: Intellectual Love (Perfection Productions) (1990)
,
KUT-FM Radio, Austin, Texas (1986)
,
Maple Leaf Club, New Orleans (1984)
,
Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, Naropa Institute (1983)
,
Huntington Art Gallery, University of Texas at Austin (1977)
Prizes won: 

LDA Artist Fellowship (Media), National Audio Theatre Award, NEA/Contemporary Art Center, Fulbright Senior Fellowship, National Poetry Series finalist 2011.

Personal Favorites

What I'm reading now: 
The Books of Jacob by Olga Tokarczuk, Panienki by Janusz Zalewski

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Polish American
Fluent in: 
English, Polish
Born in: 
Trenton, NJ
New Jersey
Raised in: 
Trenton, NJ
New Jersey
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Nov 03, 2022