The Sun Can Be: An IPLA Collective Exhibition

The works of the exhibition range from multimedia poetry, self-portraiture, and 3D poetry to typewriter art, lino print, and a prose-puzzle poem series exhibiting material, form and method as conveyors of shifting, alternate realities. From a triptych of calligrams that echo the Surrealism of Guillaume Apollinaire to a series of text art pieces, to conceptual poetry that reinterprets perspective. The Sun Can Be expands on these themes through unconventional and diversified aesthetics that redefine traditional poetry, and serves as a translation of the artistic intentions of the IPLA poets. https://inparentheses.cargo.site | Instagram

IPLA Artists

Cameron Wade Cameron Wade is a writer and poet based in London. His work explores the nature of storytelling, the relationship between inner and outer realities, non-linear storytelling, and themes of madness, ‘other’-spaces, the eerie and the weird; experimenting with ergodic literature and meta-textuality through fiction, prose-poetry, visual and asemic poetry, collage and performance. Danica Ignacio Danica Ignacio is a Filipino poet whose writing focuses on the juxtaposition of the ordinary and the non-ordinary by giving importance to the small. Mainly taking from more traditional forms of poetry, her work aims to morph the everyday experience just enough to be unrecognisable while still maintaining its form. Eleanor Wilders Eleanor Wilders finds inspiration from the ignored details of routine and from the in-betweens of the everyday experience, she crafts stories that question our assumptions about connection, purpose, and freedom. Her artistic practice leads to an exploration of exposure in today’s society; her work tries to confront the paradox of vulnerability in an age of hyper-connectivity, whilst grappling with the tension between authenticity and public persona. Matthew Sokulsky Matthew Sokulsky is concerned with the tense relationship between nature and rational, theology and logic, and their ability (or not) to co-exist in the contemporary. His work experiments with traditional forms to create decidedly new poetry that at once exemplifies modernity while recognising the rich vein of myth and ritual to which he believes all poetry fixes its base.

Opening hours:

The gallery will be opened to the public 12 noon to 5pm every Wednesday to Saturday

Opening Night and Special View Saturday 9 August 2025, 7-9pm / Bouda Gallery

The exhibition opens on 9 August with a special event featuring Tim Postovit, a Czech poet, performer, and translator of Ukrainian origin. Celebrating cross-culture collaboration and international innovation the event will also include live performances by David Spittle, Aimae Nimmo, Matthew Sokulsky, Danica Ignacio, Eleanor Wilders, Cameron Wade and many more to be announced. About Tom Postovit Tim Postovit was born in Ukraine and has lived in the Czech Republic since the age of six. He studied philology at Charles University in Prague. He translates from Ukrainian and Russian. In 2019 he published his debut collection of poems, Magistrála (Highway). A poem from this book has been featured in the annual Best Czech Poetry anthology. He also performs slam poetry and holds the 2019 joint title for duo slam poetry. In 2021 his second poetry collection came out Motýlí pavilon (The Butterfly Pavilion). In 2022 he was nominated for Václav Burian Prize. From 2022 he has worked at Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) as a social worker for Ukrainian community. He is a member of a Czech Writers Association. He is based in Prague.

IPLA and Friends. Thursday August 14, 2025, 7-9pm / Bouda Gallery

An evening of experimental performance and readings from the IPLA Collective, Simon Tyrell, Irys Bird, Oscar Sutherland-Dee, Martin Wakefield and more to be announced! The second event in the series features an array of bespoke new readings and performances including a world-first IPLA collaborative performance and poets travelling from across the country to read their brilliant new works for you at the historic Bouda Gallery.

Further accompanying events: 

• August 16th, 7 – 9 pm
• August 21st, 7 – 9 pm
• August 23rd, 7 – 9 pm
• August 28th, 7 – 9 pm
• August 30th, 7 – 9 pm

The Sun Can Be, an exhibition by IPLA Collective, is the Czech Centre’s Summer Artistic Residency — a pilot project offering a safe and supportive space for local artists and the community. It is part of SAFE(R) SPACES. Out There And Within, a network initiative organised by the Czech Centres.