Syria Is in the World

Poetry. "At globalizing his art, Ara Shirinyan beats Walt Disney hands down. In this dazzling debut, Shirinyan takes post-conceptual poetics to new borders beyond the scope of US pop culture and media, and into the purloined hills and desserts of any language as English, as fodder for reframing: 'vulgar ideas, cultural purity, nation, etc.' This is a terrain where 'striktly confidentially' gulags share the global stage with a long list of Soviet poet blurbs. In the end, Shirinyan reminds us: "You have an interest in history. You cannot miss Syria. Syria has monuments.' Indeed, Syria is in the World, and so is Ara Shirinyan...welcome aboard!"--Rob Fitterman.