On Thursday evening 1 June, more than ten poets paid a tribute to the Dutch-Hungarian poet, artist, translator and poet critic Rogi Wieg (1962 – 2015) during the Rotterdam-based festival Poetry International.
The tribute, during which nine poets read out pieces of poetry for Rogi Wieg, also included the launch and presentation of the collection “In een kring van menselijke warmte” [In a Circle of Human Warmth], published by In de Knipscheer. The book includes poems for Rogi Wieg by one hundred Dutch poets.
The evening was presented by Volkskrant editor Arjan Peters. Before the poets came on stage, which included Albert Hagenaars, Ezra de Haan, Tsead Bruinja, Maria Barnas, Menno Wigman (who also read out a poem by F. Starik), Ellen Deckwitz (who also read out a poem by Vrouwkje Tuinman), Mischa Andriessen, Emma Crebolder and Thomas Möhlmann, Ambassador Kocsis shortly addressed the audience.
Ambassador Kocsis spoke about the intensity of Wieg’s work and touched upon Wieg’s Hungarian roots.
The evening was attended by Abys Kovács-Wieg, widow of Rogi Wieg and former Cultural Manager at the Embassy of Hungary in The Hague. Kovács-Wieg’s art was displayed on stage during the program.
