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In focus
Written by Viraj Mandar Paranjape
To mark the 100th birth anniversary of Austrian poet, writer, and translator Ernst Jandl, the Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan Pune, in collaboration with the German Department of Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), has organised a special exhibition celebrating his life and work.
The exhibition features 24 multisensory installations in German, English, and Marathi, and seeks to bring alive Jandl’s experimental style through 3D structures, soundscapes, visual projections, and artistic interpretations.
Dr Fetz, who has written extensively on post-war Austrian literature, underlined how Jandl used poetry as resistance against the misuse of language in propaganda, turning words into tools of liberation rather than manipulation.
Known as a pioneer of German-speaking concrete and sound poetry movement, Jandl explored the very texture of language in his works — whether through sound poems that only reveal their meaning when spoken, visual poems where the arrangement of words is central, or satirical verses that comment on politics, war, and human behaviour. Poems such as Schtzngrmm — imitating the rattling of machine guns during World War II — showcased his ability to convey meaning through pure sound.
Speaking at the inauguration, Alicia Padros, Deputy Director and Head of the Language Department at Max Mueller Bhavan Pune, said the exhibition highlights Jandl’s groundbreaking use of “sound, structure and space” and reflects the institute’s effort to promote German culture in innovative formats.
The programme also featured a skit by university students depicting the grim emotions of World War II, along with a Kathak-based dance performance by Aishwarya Joshi on Jandl’s poem “West l du mich.” The piece interpreted the poem through classical Indian dance, connecting German literature to Indian traditions and highlighting how art and language can bridge cultures.
Vaishali Dabke, Projektreferentin Bildungskooperation Deutsch / Project Manager Educational Services at Goethe Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, added, “We want to encourage more and more Punekars to learn foreign languages, break barriers, and explore German through poets like Ernst Jandl. This exhibition at The Box Studio offers an exclusive experience that goes beyond the page.”
Curated by Chaitanya Modak, the exhibition is thematically arranged around five motifs explored by Jandl: being one with nature, being human, being civilised, being warriors, and the idea of death.
(Viraj Mandar Paranjape is an intern with The Indian Express)
