Dirk Huelstrunk (b. 1964) is an internationally renowned sound poet, spoken word poet, writer, creative writing teacher and curator of art/poetry events based in Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Influences range from Dada, Surrealists, Fluxus, Beatpoets to Pop and modern electronic sound-poetry. He works with and between different media and frequently collaborates with artists & musicians.
Huelstrunk lectures on sound poetry, spoken word, outsider art, gives workshops in creative writing and performance poetry and is also one of the pioneers of the Poetry Slam movement in Germany, hosting Poetry Slam and Spoken Word events since 1996.
He curates & hosts events for Frankfurt Bookfair “Guest of Honor”, Frankfurt Poetry Days Festival and other events. Since 2022 he hosts the international poetry podcast “Possible Poetry”. Since 2024 he curates and hosts the poetry show “Schnittstellen” in Frankfurt.
Collaboration and performance with: writer & sound poet Jaromir Typlt (CZ), dancer & choreographer Milla Koistinen (FIN), performance artist Juha Valkeapää (FIN), radio artist Gabi Schaffner (GER), Fluxus artist Brandstifter (GER), Electronic artists Ol Brentt & Art Ensemble of Neurotica, with Sounddesigner HERR WILD, Jazzmusicians Peter Klohmann, Martin Lejeune, Harri Gottschalk, Stefan Schulz-Anker (GER) and others.
Writings/poems have been translated to English, Spanish, Finnish, Estonian, Russian, Czech, Slovak, Romanian.
Member of „VS Verband deutscher Schriftsteller/Hessen“ (German Writers Union/Hessen)
Member of VdÜ Verband der Übersetzer (German Translators Union)
Member of Netzwerk Lyrik e.V. (Poetry Network Germany)
Founder of non-profit organisation „Kulturnetz Frankfurt e.V.“
Education/Degree/Profession:
2011 – now freelance artist & writer
2008 – now lectureship at University of Applied Science, Frankfurt
1999 – 2011 working as a certified nurse at hospitals, mental institutions, homecare & institutions for people with special needs
1997 – 1999 Training as a qualified nurse
1992 – 1997 working on a Ph.D. about Neodada in poetry with Prof. Karl Riha
in Siegen
1984 – 1991 German & English Literature & Politics at J.-W.-Goethe-University, Frankfurt (M.A. Degree)
Publications:
Books:
“Plötzlicher Nebel, Gedichte, Axel-Dielmann-Verlag, Frankfurt 2022
“Welche Farbe hat die Liebe” / The colour of love by M. Ellery & Clara Reschke (translation), Alibri Verlag, Aschaffenburg 2021
“Storm – by Tim Minchin” (translation Spoken Word Poem, Graphic Novel), Alibri-Verlag, Aschaffenburg 2020
“Den Fehler wiederholen”, (Gedichte), Axel-Dielmann-Verlag, Frankfurt 2020
„vorübergehend fremd“(Broschüre & CD) – Gedichte, Collagen & Fieldrecordings, Hessischer Literaturrat, Hünfeld 2018
„Zucken Sie doch nicht so Verstreute Gedichte, Gonzo Verlag 2018
-Antikörper/Antibodies II (Germ./Engl), HuelsTrunk – Text, Brandstifter – Collages, Translation: Fred Bergman, Gonzo Verlag, Mainz 2013
-Antikörper/Antibodies (Germ./Engl). with Brandstifter,
English by: Fred Bergman, Frankfurt, 2009
-SITZEN GEHEN STEHEN (Minimal Prose),Darmstadt & Dreieich 1997
-ECHT, (phantastic short novel), Vienna 1995
Solo-Audio:
MC/ Download “Antibodies – “Live at PiP/Poesie im Park” Soundholes, UK, 2022
MC/Download Antibodies – “can you ear me?”, UK 2020, Review
CD Antibodies – “inside the machine”, Flux-on-Demand, Mainz 2019
CD „vorübergehend fremd“, Fieldrecordings aus Hünfeld. Hrsg. vom Hessischen Literaturrat, Hünfeld 2018
CD müüü – sound loop poetry, Atemwerft 2014
Online: Freemousejazz (improvised computer jazz), jamendo, 2011
CD Blitzkrieg/ Gemutlichkeit (spoken word/soundpoetry), gruenrekorder, 2005
CD Examples of Sample Poetry (spoken word/soundpoetry), gruenrekorder 2004,
CD Wer ist Erwin? (minimal sample stories), gruenrekorder 2004.
Grants/Residencies:
2022 Zane Dajc Residency, Slowenian Writers Association, Ljubljana
2021 Grant, Hessische Kulturstiftung
2020 Grant, Hessische Kulturstiftung
2018 “Land in Sicht/Land ahead”, residency, Huenfeld, Germany
2017 School artist, IGS Nordend School, Frankfurt
2015 Prague Literature house/Hessischer Literaturrat, residency in Prague
2014 Bold initiatives in the arts grant, one year work grant, Kone Foundation
2012 Kone Foundation, Residency, Saari, Finland
2011 Hessischer Literaturrat – Residency Madison, Wisconsin, USA
2011 Villa Sarkia Residency with Juha Valkeapää, Sysmä, Finland
Some recent events:
2024
Microfestival, Prag, Tage des literarischen Sprechens, Stuttgart
Doc(k)s, Poesie is not dead Festival, Berlin
Lautpoesiefestival, Freiburg & Basel
2022/23
(C)ovids metamorphoses, international sound art project
Lyriktage Frankfurt, Lyrik über Land Festival Limburg/ Rheingau
Poesierepublik, Stuttgart, The art of literature, Christies, London, Blood of a poet – Spoken Word Festival, Berlin, Demokratiefestival, Neu Isenburg
2020/21
Guest curator for Canada Guest of Honor at Frankfurter Buchmesse, Talks with Vivek Shraya, Poetry & Science Congress, Munich, Soundaufschlag – Spoken Word, Berlin, Ion Monoran Poetry Festival, Timisoara, Hausacher Leselenz Festival, Poetry Festival Bucharest (cancelled), Philharmonie Luxemburg (cancelled), Antibodies Fluxus Concert, Berlin
2019
Guest curator for Guest of Honour Norway at Frankfurter Buchmesse, Zucken Sie doch nicht so, Spoken Word meets Jazz (with Herr Wild & Christian Gottschalk), Fünf Herren und Das Siebte Kreuz, staging “The Seventh Cross” by Anna Seghers for “Frankfurt liest ein Buch” Festival, Fokus Lyrik Festival conference, Frankfurt, ULF Lesebuehnenfestival, Nuernberg
2017/2018
“Land in Sicht/Land ahead”, writers residency, Huenfeld Germany, “Zurich liest Festival”, Zurich, “Danube Poetry Festival”, Galati, Romania, Guest curator for Georgia “Guest of Honor” events at Bookfair Frankfurt
2016
Poesie en Voz Alta, Mexico, Ars Poectica Festival, Bratislava, Slovenia, Trienale of community art, Turku, Finland
Mad House Performance Festival, Helsinki, Finland, Guest curator for Netherland/Flandria “Guest of Honor” events at Frankfurt Bookfair.
2015
Language Eating, Wäinö Altonen Museum, Turku, Finland, Performance/Installation, Turku Art Academy, Finland, Lecture & Sound Poetry Workshop, “Dada Lebt”-Festival, Kunstverein Familie Montez, Frankfurt, Olohuone Art Festival, Turku, Finland, Installation/Performance “office of dispensable words”, Hessenslam U20 Meisterschaft, Mousonturm Frankfurt (Hosting/Curating)
Enclave Global Festival, Mexico City/Puebla, performance, lecture & sound poetry workshop, Performance at Goethe Institute Mexico City (with Pia Sommer, Chile), Lecture “Spoken Word Poetry”, UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México)
2014
–Prakriti Poetry Festival in Chennai, India,
-Performance at Goethe Institute Chennai, at schools & highschools,
-Lectures on Sound Poetry at University of Madras and KM Music Conservator, Chennai
-Curating „Schweiss & Poesie – Junge finnische Spoken Word Szene“ – a roadtrip with Finnish poets and mobile Sauna to Frankfurt Bookfair in cooperation with Goethe Institut Finnland.
-Performing in Berlin, Hamburg, Hannover, Duesseldorf
-Sound poetry/dance collaboration project „a pile of frames“ with Finnish dancer Milla Koistinen. Performances in Germany, France, Finland.
-Performances at Symposium „Chaos & Creation“, Littera Baltica Festival & Translators Workshop in Turku
-Performance at Runokuu-Festival & LaBas Performance Festival Helsinki, Finland.
-Antikörper/Antibodies performance, Ausstellungshalle 1A, Frankfurt
-Performance at Hessisches Literaturforum, Frankfurt
-Performance at Kunstzwergfestival, Zweibrücken
-Performing with Watercolored Well Improvising Group.
-Performance/CD release show at phonophon/Institute für Neue Medien, Frankfurt
-Poetry & Beats Festival II, Zoom Club Frankfurt
2013
-Touring in Finland & Estonia (Turku Poetry Week Festival, Crazy Tartu Festival)
-Performance at Taidehalli Helsinki
-Vice member of the international board of „Turku Poetry Week“.
-Performance at Vienna School of Poetry (SfD)
-Lecture on Sound Poetry at Goethe University, Frankfurt
-Performance at Yoko Ono Exhibition, Kunsthalle Schirn, Frankfurt
2012
-Artist residency, Saari, Finnland, Taking part in „Turku Poetry Week Festival“ & touring with international performers group in Finland. Continued collaboration & performances with Finnish vocal artist/performer Juha Valkeapää as „JIRK“
-Poetry & Beats Festival, Batschkapp, Frankfurt
-Sommerwerft Theater Festival, Frankfurt
-Kunstzwerg Festival, Zweibrücken
2011
-Literature residency, Villa Sarkia, Sysmä (Finland) with Finnish vocal artist/performer Juha Valkeapää, recording and performing in Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Sysmä and Frankfurt
-Literature residency, Madison, Wisconsin (USA). Lectures at University of Wisconsin, Shimer College Chicago, Beloit College, Madison College & Performance Tour.
-Performance at Wolf-Vostell Museo, Malpartida de Caceres, Spain
Other Performances:
Museo Vostell, Malpartida de Caceres, Spain
Yuxtapositones Festival, Madrid, Spain
Espai d‘Art Contemporani/Museum of Modern Art, Castellón, Spain
Revox, Barcelona, Spain
LaBas Performance Festival, Helsinki, Finland