Illuminating the Archive

This is a free event, but registration is required.

This interdisciplinary panel brings together writers who draw from the archive to recover, illuminate, and memorialize writers who came before them.

With Victoria Chang, whose poetry collection With My Back to the World engages with the work of painter Agnes Martin; Jazmina Barrera, whose novel The Queen of Swords (tr. Christina MacSweeney), explores the life of Mexican writer Elena Garro; and Robin Coste Lewis, author of Archive of Desire: A Poem in Four Parts for C. P. Cavafy. 

Moderated by Kate Zambreno (Animal Stories), this conversation will take us deep into the archives to understand its reach and power.

The 2026 PEN World Voices Festival is a celebration of world literature and free expression. The 2026 edition will be the 21st World Voices Festival. Over four days, over 140 writers from over 40 countries will be featured in 40 engaging talks, panels, readings, and activations in New York City and greater Los Angeles.

Visit for more information about the entire festival, as well as PEN America.

This space is ADA compliant. An elevator is onsite that goes to the event space.

ASL interpretation is available for this event by request only. Please reach out to our Box Office team at [email protected] by April 15th to request.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

AIA New York | Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, United States

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