Ali Alizadeh, Evental

Evental is a long-poem that explores the tenets of the work of the contemporary philosopher Alain Badiou. Drawing on Badiou’s key concept of Event, and its four conditions— art, politics, science and love— the poem versifies examples such as an episode of the French Revolution, the poetry of Forough Farrokhzad and a romantic ancient Chinese myth to address the divide between poetry and philosophy.

“Critically alert to ideas of otherness and its adjoining preoccupations … Alizadeh’s poems carefully protest and witness … His work is driven by an incessant musicality” — Gig Ryan, Australian Book Review

“Imbued with simple and muscular language, philosophic insight and great poetic skill” – The Adelaide Review

“evocative and vivid, with subtext in layers” — Angela Meyer, Bookseller + Publisher

Ali Alizadeh is a writer of poetry, prose and drama. His books include Ashes in the Air (UQP, 2011) and Iran: My Grandfather (Transit Lounge, 2010), shortlisted for a NSW Premier’s Literary Award. He holds a PhD in Professional Writing from Deakin University and lives in Melbourne.

Rare Object Number 63.
12 pages. Published 2011.
Cover image by Kay Orchison.