M. H. Benders

Martijn Benders (born 23 July 1971 in Helmond) is a Dutch poet and philosopher. He is the chief editor of the literary magazine De Honingzaag. Benders is known for his experimental poetry and has published several poetry collections and philosophical works.

Career

In 2008, Benders published his first poetry collection, Karavanserai, with Nieuw Amsterdam publishers. The collection was nominated for the C. Buddingh'-prijs for best Dutch-language poetry debut.

At the award ceremony for the C. Buddingh'-prijs, Benders performed an unconventional act inspired by the Slovenian band Laibach. Along with Bart van der Pligt and composer Samuel Vriezen, he staged a performance that included reading an anti-prize poem and singing a song titled "Lezen is Lezen" ("Reading is Reading"), set to the tune of "Live Is Life" by Austrian band Opus.

In 2011, Benders self-published his second poetry collection, Wat koop ik voor jouw donkerwilde machten, Willem ("What Do I Buy for Your Dark-Wild Powers, William"), which received positive reviews.

In 2013, Benders published Wôld, Wôld, Wôld!, a personalized poetry book that included dedications to the reader, poems in Dutch and English, concrete poems, and images.

In 2019, Benders co-founded the publishing house De Kaneelfabriek, inspired by the works of Bruno Schulz. He also became the chief editor of the literary-philosophical magazine De Honingzaag. That same year, he published Baah Baaah Krakschaap/De P van Winterslaap, an experimental poetry volume that sold out two print runs.

Recent Works

In 2020, Benders published Waarover de Piranha droomt in de limonadesloot ("What the Piranha Dreams About in the Lemonade Ditch"), a philosophical work exploring human imagination and its relationship with reality.

In 2021, he released Ginneninne, a collection that infused the Dutch language with Gaelic and Irish-based neologisms.

In 2022, he published Amanita Muscaria, the Book of the Empress, an extensive study on the Amanita muscaria mushroom, discussing its role in human evolution and cultural significance.

In 2023, Benders released Gedichten om te Lezen in het Donker ("Poems to Read in the Dark"), a collection written after the loss of two family members. The collection explores themes of grief and reflection. He also published The Eternal Hazing, examining the portrayal of dissenting voices and the dynamics within literary institutions and censorship of leftwing voices in the coronacrisis.

In 2024 he published Het zijn maar Bergen ("It's Only Mountains"), a poetry collection that incorporates artificial intelligence to create a singing book, including eight forewords by deceased poets.

Benders is currently working on a new collection titled In het applaus en lichtstof van lampen ("In the Applause and Light Dust of Lamps").

Style and Themes

Benders' work combines various literary styles, including lyrical, conceptual, satirical, and absurdist influences. His poetry and philosophical writings often challenge conventions and critique societal structures. He incorporates elements such as performance art and multimedia into his work.

Bibliography

Poetry Collections

• Karavanserai (Nieuw Amsterdam, 2008)
• Wat koop ik voor jouw donkerwilde machten, Willem (Loewak, 2011; reissued by Van Gennep, 2013)
• Wôld, Wôld, Wôld! (2013)
• Sauseschritt (Van Gennep, 2015)
• Lippenspook (Van Gennep, 2016)
• Nachtefteling (Van Gennep, 2017
• Baah Baaah Krakschaap/De P van Winterslaap (De Kaneelfabriek, 2019)
• Ginneninne (De Kaneelfabriek, 2021)
• O Kolle Klokkespin (De Kaneelfabriek, 2022)
• Gedichten om te Lezen in het Donker (De Kaneelfabriek, 2023)
• Het zijn maar Bergen (De Kaneelfabriek, 2023)
• In het applaus en lichtstof van lampen (Upcoming)

Philosophical Works

• Waarover de Piranha droomt in de limonadesloot (De Kaneelfabriek, 2020)
• Amanita Muscaria, the Book of the Empress (De Kaneelfabriek, 2022)
• The Eternal Hazing (De Kaneelfabriek, 2024)

Novels

• Flierman's Passage (Van Gennep, 2016)

External links

• Official website
• De Kaneelfabriek