‘Crazed Tallinn’

It is not enough to say that Jaan Malin (1960) is a poet and the researcher and guardian of the Estonian surrealist poetry tradition. Malin is also so much more: a phenomenon, a restless one-man institution, a one man band of live poetry performing, the word and voice player called Luulur riding on the magic carpet of insane expressiveness. However, Malin is something more: he is a festival. Just like Tiina Lokk epitomizes the Black Nights Film Festival and Anne Erm the Jazzkaar festival, Estonia’s largest poetry festival Hullunud Tartu (Crazed Tartu) is embodied by Jaan Malin. As one of the best – and perhaps one of the internationally best known – poetry performers in Estonia, Malin has popularized the public performing of poetry with Crazed Tartu. Therefore, it is natural that he has begun playing a role in the programme of festival HeadRead, too. It is not the first time the festival has asked him to come of up with a selection of poets for whom the performing of poetry is not just means but also an end. In addition to Luulur, the performers will include Kätlin Kaldmaa, Erkki Luuk and the band AtgruioFallA, which unites three very different singers, Laura Remmel, Ivi Raus and Roomet Jakapi. On Saturday, 30 May at 8 pm, the Estonian Writers’ Union will host an exciting night, where angels and foul-mouthed screamers cross their verbal swords!

Location

Estonian Writers’ Union