The Mercurius Anthology Interactive Launch

Backstory is delighted to host the Barcelona launch of The Surreal-Absurd: An Anthology of Contemporary Surrealist and Absurdist Poetry, the latest project from Mercurius literary magazine. Join us for an imaginative evening that celebrates the surreal and absurd in today’s poetry scene, bringing together contributors from Spain and the UK for a rare live encounter.

The program will feature short readings from poets in the anthology, followed by a collective, interactive activity: the Dream Map. Together, poets and audience will create an improvised surreal world on paper — naming new lands, seas, and landmarks inspired by the poems themselves. The event will conclude with a guided journey through this dreamscape, led by the poets and enriched by the audience’s imagination.

Come discover today’s surreal-absurd voices, meet the poets, and connect their work with Backstory’s shelves of poetry. Expect play, reflection, and a generous dose of the unexpected.