“IF YOUR HEART IS BROKEN, MAKE ART WITH THE PIECES”
SHANE KOYCZAN
SPOKEN WORD ARTIST
There are some artists who happen to be in the right place at the right time… that moment when the door is still slightly open with just enough space to sneak through. Then there are those artists who, instead of waiting for the door to open, kick it in to go through. That open door cannot be discussed without saying the name SHANE KOYCZAN.
A street poet from Vancouver’s downtown east side, who had been inches away from living on the street, Koyczan uses his prodigious talent in an outspoken way as an advocate on social issues affecting us all. From his TED Talk to his graphic novels, and throughout his body of work, Shane weaves his pieces together in a spellbinding narrative that stretches over our lives.
His video, “To This Day” has garnered 24 million views and is used worldwide in classrooms as a teaching tool. His book, “Stickboy”, was adapted into an opera by Vancouver Opera. With the piece, “Shoulders”, he joined David Suzuki as part of “The Blue Dot Tour”, a movement to enshrine environmental rights in the constitution. Shane invited us deep into family trauma with the 2017 documentary “Shut Up And Say Something”. He recently released a new collection of poems called “The Basement In My Attic” and worked with Theytus Books to publish “Inconvenient Skin”, a journey into Canada’s own troubled history with residential schools and the treatment of indigenous people.
A self-motivating machine, SHANE KOYCZAN has elevated the art form of Spoken Word from its humble beginnings in after- hour cafes to stages both grand and distant. He brings an authenticity to his work that connects with audiences and highlights the kind of humanity he brings to each performance. With humour in heart, and a notepad in hand; he scribbles down the whispers inside us and uses laughter as a poultice to press against our wounds.
For more information about SHANE KOYCZAN visit: www.shanekoyczan.com
