The Musicality of Language: Live Poetry Event

In , artist Nhu Xuan Hua reflects on the fragility of memory and the ways stories are communicated – or withheld – across generations. Hua grew up feeling a palpable distance from her Vietnamese heritage and notes the this body of work visualises the dissipation of family memory through migration and cultural rupture.
Hua considers the feelings that words can evoke, prompting a familiar and comforting connection to memories that we may not consciously recall. Join us at the gallery for a live poetry event set against the backdrop of Hua’s evocative exhibition. At this event, poets will perform 15 minute readings followed by a short Q&A with the audience. There will be a drinks reception and a chance to look at the exhibition after. Performers include Poet Laureate of Wales, Hanan Issa, who's work explores themes of home, identity, and language.

Read more on Autograph's website

Hanan Issa is a Welsh-Iraqi writer, filmmaker, and artist. Her work spans multi-disciplines including poetry, essay and prose, theatre, film, and animation.

Her work has been featured by Poetry Wales, Poetry Society, Hay Festival, ITV Wales, BBC Radio 3, Radio 4, Wales Millennium Centre, TATE Liverpool, Transpoesie, Cardiff University, National Trust, and the Barbican Centre. Her short film The Golden Apple - a Ffilm Cymru/ BBC Wales commission is available on iPlayer. In 2025 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Bangor University. She is currently under commission writing a full-length performance for Wales Millennium Centre. She was the 2023 Hay International Fellow and is the current National Poet of Wales until 2027.

Everyone is welcome at Autograph. Planning a visit? Have a look at our Visit Us page to find out more about getting to the gallery, accessibility and more.

Limited tickets: This event takes place in the gallery, there are limited tickets to ensure the best experience.

Accessible venue: Autograph welcomes people with all types of disabilities.

Step free: Our building and entrance is step free. A wheelchair accessible lift goes to all floors.

Seating: THis is a seated event.

Photography: Please note that photography will take place at this event. Images from this event may be used by Autograph and external press for marketing and promotional use, including: printed and online publicity, social media, press releases, or other use. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let a member of staff know on the day.

Drinks Reception: There will be light refreshments available at this event.

The ticket price for this event is £5. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. If this ticket price is unaffordable for you, please get in touch with Harriet at

Autograph's events are very popular, and often sell out. To provide the best experience for everyone, tickets must be booked in advance for this event, and will not be available on the door . If you need to cancel your ticket for any reason, you can receive a refund up to 24 hours before the start of the event.

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

Autograph ABP Registered in England no. 2285116 | Registered Charity no. 1127712

Images: 1) Nhu Xuan Hua, Singer “How much love can be repeated?”, Honey baby, 2020. Courtesy of the artist and Anne-Laure Buffard, France. Copyright © Nhu Xuan Hua. 2) Autograph. Photograph by Kate Elliott.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Autograph, Rivington Place, London, United Kingdom

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