Faculty of Art
Criticism and Curatorial Practice
Leaf Watson
between 2 tongues
Essay
between 2 tongues is a writing collective, workshop series and soon to be anthology which explores language and diaspora through poetry and prose. Ultimately, the series brings together writers from varying diasporas to address notions of homeland, motherland and new lands and the tongues that tie these sites together. The series explores 9 writing prompts to allow writers and creators to explore ideas around translation, neologism and tongues between languages. Prompts may be completed in any language and it is not required for submissions to be in English— a mode a resistance against dominant tongues and linguistic hegemony. Once the prompts are completed, writers can submit polished pieces for the anthology entitled “between 2 tongues” and text art for an exhibition entitled “The Edge and the Other.” The anthology will take form as a handbound iteration and ultimately a printed copy for dissemination.
“Although originally designed for in-person delivery, the programming for B2T underwent many changes as a result of the COVID-19 health crisis. Workshops were altered for virtual facilitation. When workshop turnout weened, the approach and delivery were changed further to interact with participants on multiple platforms. This new delivery allowed participants to complete writing prompts and answer questions on their own at any time— both lightening the content and exploring new avenues for conversation around language, identity and diaspora. ”
