Japanese author to visit WMU as visiting scholar, give reading

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—One of the foremost writers of contemporary Japan will visit the Western Michigan University campus this month to read from her works.

Hiromi Itō, a radical iconoclast known for her bold explorations of the feminine body, sexuality and motherhood, will read from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in Room 3025 of Brown Hall. The reading is free and open to the public. Itō has visited WMU several times in recent years.

Hiromi Itō

Since moving to California in 1997 , Itō has written poetry and novels about her experiences as a Japanese transplant and the implications of linguistic isolation for self-expression and identity. During the reading and talk, Ito will reflect on her provocative life and groundbreaking work.

Itō will also be joined by her translator, Dr. Jeffrey Angles, a WMU associate professor of world languages and literatures, to celebrate and read from their newest publication together, a long narrative poem, "Wild Grass on the Riverbank." Angles also translated "Killing Kanoko." A book signing will follow her presentation, with books available for purchase.

Itō has more than a dozen collections of poetry, several works of prose, numerous books of essays, and several major literary prizes to her credit. She divides her time between the towns of Encinitas, California and Kumamotoin in southern Japan.

Born in 1955 in Tokyo, Itō became well known in the 1980s for a series of dramatic collections of poetry that described sexuality, pregnancy and feminine erotic desire in dramatically direct language. From her earliest work, Itō embarked on a lifelong battle against the stylized and artful language common in 20th-century Japanese poetry. Commentators have often described Itō as a "shamaness" for her ability to channel voices onto the page.

Since the 1980s, Itō had been fascinated with Native American poetry, which she first read in Japanese translations. She started making regular, extended trips to America with her children, before eventually settling in 1997 in California. The change of setting led to several significant changes in her writing, in terms of both genre and subject matter. She began writing novellas, both because she was tired of poetry and because she felt prose was better suited to exploring her new experiences as an immigrant. More recently, she has returned to poetry.

About the program

Itō's visit to WMU is through the WMU Visiting Scholars and Artists Program. Established in 1960, the Visiting Scholars and Artists Program significantly contributes to the intellectual life of WMU and the community. The program provides funds for academic units to bring distinguished scholars and artists to campus. These visitors meet with faculty and students in their fields and address the community at large.

Since the program began, it has supported more 600 visits by scholars and artists representing more than 60 academic disciplines.

More information

For more information on Itō's visit, contact Angles at jeffrey.angles@wmich.edu or (269) 387-3044.