Paul Bogaert

Paul Bogaert (b. 1968) debuted in 1996 with the collection of poems, 'Welcome Hygiene', verses full of bizarre logic and a carefully measured mixture of style and language registers. The restless first person is plagued with over-awareness. The way he analyses himself and others creates an alienating effect. The same rousing mental and sensual sensations surface once more in the volume, 'Circular Systems'. In this collection, Bogaert examines his fascination for all things that rotate. A closed, circular system generates security, but also discomfort. In an aloof, pseudo-scientific tone he creates poetic language machines, as it were, in which the workaday is contrasted with the systematic. In the space of a couple of years and with just three collections of poems – of which a bibliophile was published - Bogaert has proved himself one of the most striking voices amongst young Flemish poets.

Paul Bogaert also makes poetry films. For the past two years he has been collaborating with Karsten Krause (Germany) and Jan Peeters (Belgium) to this end. Bogaert works in Brussels and lives in Leuven.

Photo © Koen Broos