In conversation with...Arji Manuelpillai

“My career has been diverse and filled with a range of different jobs. After touring with multiple bands, teaching across the world, this debut is probably the most meaningful part of my journey so far.”

- Arji Manuelpillai

Image: Arji Manuelpillai, Image credit: Felipe Pagani

Arji Manuelpillai is a poet, performer and creative facilitator based in London. For over 15 years, Manuelpillai has worked with community arts projects nationally and internationally. Recently, he was the Jerwood/Arvon Mentee mentored by Hannah Lowe. Manuelpillai is a member of Malika's Poetry Kitchen and London Stanza. Manuelpillai’s debut pamphlet, Mutton Rolls, was published with Out-Spoken Press.

Tell us about your upcoming book Improvised Explosive Device?

Improvised Explosive Device is a startlingly innovative exploration of extremism, hate crime and violence. In this powerful and unsettling first collection, I present a vision of the contemporary haunted by Melville’s image of the whale – the terror beneath the surface of the sea. His uncompromising focus on violence is laced with gallows humour and the surreal, framed against the mundane detritus of modern life: two boys playing Mortal Kombat; a field of old trainers; the lonely glare of laptop light; a suspicious looking package in the back seat of a van.

The poems in Improvised Explosive Device emerged through research and interviews with academics, sociologists, and former members of extremist groups and their families – from the English Defence League and the National Front to ISIS and the Tamil Tigers. These complex, unnerving texts ask a series of important questions. What drives a person to commit a radical act of violence? How is that violence mediated through screens and social media? And how does the British government police marginalised groups? Improvised Explosive Device is a brave, surprising and risk-taking book; it will change the way you look at the world.

What inspired you to write the book?

I was inspired by my family’s connection to the Tamil Tigers, a known terror organisation that used to exist in Sri Lanka. In many conversations I questioned my family about what could push them to commit a violent act. From this I spoke to many members from other groups affected by extremism, hate crime and radicalisation. I spoke to members of the EDL, NF, family members of people who had been lost to ISIS. These formed the foundation for the collection of the poems. I was interested in understanding what pushes a person to commit violent and difficult acts.

What authors have inspired you?

I am inspired by poets including Wayne Holloway-Smith, Sarah Landau, Mohammed El Kurd and Patricia Smith. But I am also inspired by artists like Joe Sacco who walked the line between journalism and creative writing. This line has become an obsession for me.

What is one book everyone should read and why?

I am inspired by many books but would suggest people invest in Rifqa by Mohammed El Kurd. A book about the palestinian struggle spoken by an activist.

Where do you feel most inspired to write?

I enjoy writing when I am on the move. Walking around London I love to settle on benches, to lose myself on tubes and buses, this is where the inspiration lives.

What is the best advice you ever received?

A good poem is like a good joke, you shouldn’t have to explain it.

What has been the most meaningful part of your career to date?

My career has been diverse and filled with a range of different jobs. After touring with multiple bands, teaching across the world, this debut is probably the most meaningful part of my journey so far.

What do you love about London?

London is a strange mix of so much of the world. The poverty, the rich, the busy, the quiet, the black and the white. You can do something you’ll regret and no one will ever find out. The city can keep a secret and I love that.

What upcoming projects can we expect to see from you?

I am running workshops across the country, reading my poems in different venues and enjoying the limelight the book has offered. I am also hosting my podcast Arji’s Poetry Pickle Jar which encourages new readers into the fray. I will be running projects with young people in many different areas of the UK encouraging young people to find hope in creative writing.

What can people expect from We Move: Debut London Literature?

I am happy to read and share stories from the process of the book’s creation. Expect a fiery mix of poetry and performance.

Website: www.arji.org

Instagram: @arjimanuelpillai

Twitter: @theleano

See Arji Manuelpillai at We Move: Debut London Literature as part of The Southbank Centre’s London Literature Festival. Thursday 20 October, 7.45pm - 9.15pm, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Ticketed at £10. Click here to book.