Ronny Someck

Ronny Someck was born in Baghdad in 1951 and came to Israel as a young child. He studied Hebrew literature and philosophy at Tel Aviv University and drawing at the Avni Academy of Art. He has worked with street gangs, and currently teaches literature and leads creative writing workshops. He has published 9 volumes of poetry (The last called “The Milk Underground”) and book for children with his daughter Shirly ( “The Laughter Button”). It has been translated into 39 languages.Selections of his poems have appeared in Arabic translation, French (with the exile Iraqi poet- A.K. El-Janabi), Catalan, Albanian , Italian, Macedonian, yiddish and English.

He is recipient of the Prime Minister's Award, Yehuda Amichai Award for Hebrew poetry, The "Wine poem award" in Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia, 2005 and Hans Berghhuis prize for poetry 2006 in the Maastricht International Poetry Nights.HolandHe recorded with the musician Elliott Sharp 3 CD's : “revenge of the stuttering child”, “Poverty Line” and “Short History of Vodka.”In 1998 he made an exhibition “nature’s Factory, winter 2046”with Beny Efrat in” Israel museum “. In 2004 made "Hawadja Bialik" and in 2007 made "Rehal Madrid"-two exhibitions in "The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan". He is a member in the Public Council of "Batsheva Dance Company " and at the Hebrew- Arabic Theatre

Books

* Exile (1976)
* Solo (1980)
* Asphalt (1984)
* Seven Lines on the Wonder of the Yarkon(1987)
* Panther (1989)
* Bloody Mary (1994)
* Rice Paradise (1996)
* The Revolution Drummer (2001)
* The Milk Underground(2005)

For children:• "The Laughter Button" with Shirly Someck (1998)

In English:• “The Fire Stays In Red” (2002 USA)

In Arabic:• “Jasmine“(1994 ISRAEL) • “And the poem is a gangster’s girl” (1996 PARIS)

In French:• "Nes a Bagdad" with A. k. El Janabi (1998 Paris)• "Constat de Beaute"(Edition PHI Luxembourg,2008)In Catalan:• “En paper de vidre” (2000 Barcelona)• "Amor Pirata"(2006 Barcelona)

In Albanian• “The Sign of the Bite” (TIRANE2001)• "Prekla e te Qeshurit" ( TIRANE 2006)In Italian• “Il Rosso Catalogo della Parola Tramonto”with Fausta Squatriti (NOLA•. "Il Bambino Balbuziente"(mesogea, sicily2008) 2002)

In Macedonian• "weat"(skopje 2005)In Yiddish• "I am a pajama Iraqi"(H.Levick Publishing House Tel Aviv)

Translations to his poems have appeared in Anthologies and Poetry Magazines in 39 languages.

Prizes

* Acum (Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers in Israel) special Jubilee Prize for a special achievement, 1987.
* Prime Minister’s Prize, 1989.2000.
* Afrat Prize,1999.
* Ahi Prize (The Association for the Promotion of Research , Literature and Art, founded in Israel by Jews from Iraq), 1999
* Yehuda Amichai prize for Hebrew poetry (2005)
* "wine poem award" Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia, 2005
* Hans Berghhuis prize for poetry 2006.the Maastricht International Poetry Nights.Holand

Art

Art that was created by him or after his work:
* “The wall of bliss”, The Artist Museum, Lodz, 1933.
* “Jasmine”. Um-El-Fahem Gallery, 1996.
* “A poem of bliss”, Artists-Messengers of peace, Eretz-Israel Museum, 1996.
* “Rosalia”- “Mini-Arutr”, Gubbio, Italy, 1997.
* “The Razor that cut the Metaphoric Face of Poetry”- Five etchings by Yigal Ozeri ensuing five poems by Ronny Someck, Tel-Aviv Museum, Binet Gallery, Israel, Z Gallery New York, 1997.
* Nature's Factory, with Benni Efrat, THE ISRAEL MUSEUM ,1998.
* " “The Ballad OF alcohol Valley”.Haifa International Installation Triennale. HAIFA MUSEUM OF ART.1999.
* Markers – On Outdoor Banner Event of Artists an Poets for Venice Biennale. 2001, 2003,2005,2007.
* “Il Rosso Catalogo della Parola Tramonto”-Five etchings by Fausta Squatriti ensuing poems by Ronny Someck. Fallani Best Gallery.Firenze. 2002.
* "Hawadja Bialik"-The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan.2004.
* "Impermanenza".Centro Studi Maitreya-Venezia.2004
* "And Next to it ,in a Similar Frame"-15 photographers relating to the poems of Ronny Someck.College of Design –Haifa-Canadian Hadassah Wizo.2005
* "Rehal Madrid"- The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan.2007/• "Wandering Library 2". Galerie Cargo 21". Paris.2008

Music

* “Revenge of the Stuttering child” CD With Elliott Sharp, Tzadik Records, New York, 1997.
* “Poverty line”, CD with Elliott Sharp. ZuTa Music. Tel-Aviv, 1999.
* “A Short History of Vodka”. ZuTa Music-NMC.Tel-Aviv.2001.

See "The Modern Hebrew Poem Itself", 2003, ISBN 0-8143-2485-1, a collection of modern Hebrew poetry.

References