Creative Destruction in Multilingual Sound Poetry: The Case of Eiríkur Örn Nor∂dahl

Abstract

"This article ... reflects on the significance of conscious poetic engagement with the liminal condition of language in relation to other modes of expressions. With the help of contemporary Scandinavian multilingual sound poetry, it considers the philosophical, ideological, and political implications of language mashups and mimicry. The questions addressed here concern how multilingual poetry performances explore questions and challenge assumptions about language and nationality, ethnicity, and identity. The article investigates how in poetry the presumed borders between languages, as well as between sense and nonsense, semantics and noise, are examined, and openings are found. It also explores the philosophical and ideological potential of the possibly offensive and painful act of othering - of oneself and of others - and contemplates whether such play with stereotypes and clichés can ever be of any use in the investigation of the multilingual complexities that make up the contemporary global soundscape. The article focuses on the work Scandinavian Series, created by the Icelandic author, poet, and performance artist Eiríkur Örn Nor∂dahl (1978- ) in 2007 ... It argues that, even as this work is bound to make its audience laugh and cringe at the same time... it is a deeply political, angry, and vulnerable work, much like the poetry of the Dada artists was in its day. This analysis will demonstrate how poetry can pose and problematize questions on the ontology of language while being an ideological and political intervention in the world."