The pavilions of the writer Matthew Morrisonauthor to whom the Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD 2024), and community of Washington Heightsguest of honor, are part of the attractions of the cultural celebration in 2024.
On a tour of Free Diary for the spaces located within the Museum of History and Geographyin the Plaza de la Cultura, the details and essence of those honored are evident.
A mural that comes from this year’s motto “The books connect” shows the concrete of the New York buildings and the tricolor flag in the background. A corridor allows us to walk in our imagination through the same George Washington Bridge and between the streets, see the signs that indicate that we pass through W 178 ST, ST Nicholas and Juan Pablo Duarte.
Dominicanness in Washington Heights
It is a small pavilion with a lot of pride in the diaspora. The experienced producer Aidita Selmanwas once again in charge of the assembly and curation of the main pavilions.
When talking with Free Diary showing the details, he declared that it has been an extraordinary learning to curate these two pavilions honored.
“The thematic part is inspired by the George Washington Bridge and in a small detail that is very connected with the literature; “It is a red lighthouse that existed and was left tiny in front of the construction of the bridge that two American writers made very famous in a work in 1942 titled ‘The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great George Washington Bridge,'” he comments.
He highlights that this illuminated bridge “is what connects us” symbolically to the dominicans from here and those from there. In the exhibition, you can see the writer’s work in drawings and letters. Cross Medalwinner of a Pulitzer, in the Reporting category.
De la Cruz is located in the country and will participate in various activities. His father was the one translated the work in Spanish.
In total, the fair has 15 pavilions. The auditoriums throughout the fairgrounds have a program for around 600 activities. Selman said that the Imagination Pavilion has a presence of institutions, in addition to a ‘brain bank’ with a metaverse with which visitors can enter this organ.
The XXVI edition of the FILSD has as guest of honor the community with the highest concentration of dominicans residents in the United States with photographs of the Dominican Winston Vargaswho since the 60s began to portray that busy neighborhood with memorable images, including a visit from former president Antonio Guzmán.
Visitors can also purchase booksknow details about the Institute of Dominican Studies from The City College of New York (CUNY)one of the main entities dedicated to the study of dominicans abroad; in addition to participating in colloquiums, workshops and signatures of books with Creole authors residing in the United States.
Pavilion Matthew Morrison
In this space we present the path of Matthew Morrison with paintings, photographsdocuments, cultural supplements and manuscripts.
A symbol of Great Hall from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD)stands in the middle of the room as its meeting place and training place for important poets.
The exhibition includes both his first works and his most recent creations, which have established him as a great essayist, poet and narratorbeing one of the most outstanding figures of the movement called Postwar Poets.
Among the works literary works exhibited in this pavilion include “Anniversary of Pain”, “If the House is Filled with Shadow”, “Difficult Balance” and “The Tempest of Silence”, which have been translated to eight languages.
“Getting into Mateo’s life, getting to know his work not only as a writer, but as a cultural manager, the literary workshops, the opportunity for young people in magazines, has been a very valuable experience,” he values. Aidita Selman.
The pavilions were formally inaugurated this Thursday in an event led by the Minister of CultureMilagros Germán, accompanied by Ángela Hernández; general director of Books and Reading; Joan Manuel Ferrer, director of the Book Fairs; the honored writer, Matthew Morrisonand authors dominicans residents of the United States.
The writer Ángela Hernández expressed that the pavilions of Washington Heights and of Matthew Morrison They are “two pages to be read, to be enjoyed by the public of the International Book Fair. Two pages of our history, our culture, our literaturethat connect us with our reality”.
The rain
The producer and artist Aidita Selman said to Free Diary that this year provisions have been made with the rainNovember being the month that has left the most disasters in the country for two consecutive years.
On a positive note, he said that most of the pavilions They are housed in museums and buildings, and the floor of the Paseo de la Lectura was raised a foot and a half high to prevent it from flooding.
“Obviously this will depend on the inclement weather. Thank God, so far, we have had good weather. Expectations are positive,” concludes Selman.
