JEDDAH, 5 April 2006 — The Kufa Gallery in London will host a poetry reading by Saudi poet Hilda Ismail today. In addition to reading her poetry and giving some information about contemporary Saudi poetry, she will talk about her personal experiences. She will also address the impact of Internet cultural forums on the Saudi literary scene.
Ismail has published two poetry collections; the second one, published by Stacey International in London, was entitled “Icons” and was translated into English last year. Her poems were first published on the Internet in cultural forums on what has become known in Saudi Arabia as “Internet Literature.”
After a great deal of positive criticism, she collected the poems and published them in her debut volume entitled “Birth In Two Brackets.”
Ismail is currently working in the cultural office of the Saudi Embassy in London. Her poetry revolves around a young Saudi woman’s modern life. For Hilda, “a poem is a lightning shock,” that must convey a great deal in only a few words.
The Kufa Gallery, at 26 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RH, is a well-known multi-cultural center founded by Iraqi architect Mohammed Makiya in 1993. Since then, it has held various cultural activities such as exhibitions and lectures and has hosted a number of famous Arab literary figures. It is open to the public.
The reading begins at 6:30 p.m. today. The poet will be introduced by the London-based Saudi columnist Meshari Al-Thaydi. “I really want to convey a good picture of Saudi women to the audience,” said Ismail.
She added that during her stay in London, she had discovered that the general belief about Saudi women is that they are not interested in life’s cultural aspects. She plans to correct that image.
