Satu Kankaanpää is a sign language poet from Seinäjoki. In recent years, she has performed at numerous poetry and culture festivals as well as sign-language poetry clubs. Her poems have been published in the Finnish Sign Language Library, and she won the grand prize for her “Kapinaruno” (“Rebellion Poem”) at the Deaf Culture Days in Helsinki in 2024. Additionally, Kankaanpää has appeared on the Yle Radio program “Tämän Runon Haluaisin Kuulla”.
At the festival, Kankaanpää will present her own sign language poems, which she describes as visual, physical, and expressive. The poems blend various styles, including visual music, theater, and a Visual Vernacular technique — an art form originating in the deaf world.
Curators’ Comments: “Kankaanpää’s sign language poem ‘Kapinaruno’ is absolutely brilliant! She is a wonderfully fervent performer. In her performances, language itself becomes an object of expression and exploration.”
