George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) returns physically and 2022’s theme is ‘Taming the Wild’.

“I chose the theme of Wilderness because I felt that we should start talking about ‘life’, after two years of the pandemic which made us think inevitably about isolation and illness,” Festival Director, Pauline Fan said to Eksentrika.

“The idea of the Wild is vast and various in the literary imagination, and resonates with many current issues affecting humanity today. For me, the literary impulse itself is, in essence, wild and untameable.”

To Pauline and her team, ‘Wild’ in the context of the theme implies the destruction of the natural world or human’s dark side. Interestingly, she didn’t set out to look at the dark side of human nature.

“But as I thought more deeply about the ‘Wild’, it became clear to me that it was an essential part, if not the very core, of what this theme is about. Our understanding of human beings and our world has been profoundly shaped by concepts of Man vs Nature, Civilisation vs Barbarism, Order vs. Chaos. Through our conversations at GTLF this year, I want to unsettle these neat binaries and invite our guest writers to consider the role of writers and literature in observing and expressing our human condition in all its wild complexity.”

The festival, which begins on November 24 and ends on 27, has a line-up of 72 participants from 18 countries. The festival’s main site is along Gat Lebuh Cina, George Town, Penang. Among the partners for this year’s edition is the British Council who’ve lined up four special sessions.

“Through our partnership with the British Council, festival-goers can expect thought-provoking and inspiring sessions with socially-engaged writers, artists, and creative souls,” Pauline said.

Here are the four sessions not to be missed:

1. Panel: Future of Festivals (November 25 at 2pm – 3pm).

Date & Time: November 25, 2pm – 3pm

Location: Bangunan UAB – Multipurpose Hall (1st Floor)

Speakers: Sharaad Kuttan, Nadira Ilana, Hardesh Singh, Daniel Lim

Moderator: Adam Pushkin

The pandemic threw a spanner into the works as events and festivals were forced to re-invent and re-imagine themselves for a virtual audience. The panel seeks to explore how festival curators and producers can critically rethink its form, content, and its objectives.

2. UNBOXED: ‘About Us’ by Judith Palmer and Katie Popperwell 

Date & Time: November 26, 7.30pm – 8.30pm

Location: Bangunan UAB – Multipurpose Hall (1st Floor)

Commissioned by UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK and supported by the British Council Malaysia, About Us explores human connection across multiple layers. The showcase depicts our connection to the universe, the natural world, and each other in a spectacular manner. The showcase comprises a short film and a talk on how the film was made with a specific focus placed on the role of poetry in the creative process.

3. sem/bunyi by Borneo Bengkel

Date: November 24 – 27

Location: Hin Bus Depot

A play on two Malay words – sembunyi, meaning ‘to hide’, and bunyi, translated as ‘sound’ – Borneo Bengkel’s exhibition showcases selected works from the collective’s 2021 projects Soundbank and Lingua Franca, presented through poetry and audiovisual installations.

The exhibition features written and audiovisual works by collaborators from across Borneo (Sarawak, Sabah, and Kalimantan) as well as the United Kingdom. It aims to tell stories ‘hidden in plain sight’. The exhibition culminates in a spoken word and cultural performance on 27 November 2022.

You’re advised to bring headphones to fully appreciate the exhibition.

4. Yee I-Lann: Excavating the Archive Host: Adam Pushkin

Date: November 27, 12pm – 1pm

Location: Digital Penang – Event Hall

Host: Adam Pushkin

Yee I-Lann is no stranger to the Malaysian visual arts scene. The leading visual artist is set to present her findings during her British Council-supported residency ‘Resonations’ at the British Library. The sharing session will also focus on her work with the Library’s extensive sound archive collections and the connection to Malaysia.

There are many other sessions taking place at the George Town Literary Festival too. Check out the festival’s programme here.

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Cover images by the George Town Literary Festival / Facebook.