Resembling a fat black periscope, the Poetry Jukebox Sculpture stands before you. This isn’t just any sculpture. It’s a gateway to a world of verse. The Poetry Jukebox Sculpture is located here in Bonifacio Global City. This modern jukebox doesn’t need coins. Only a finger press is needed to activate it.
This unique invention comes from the Czech Republic. Cultural activist Ondřej Kobza brought the Poetry Jukebox Sculpture to life. Manila is the first Asian city to host one. You can find similar jukeboxes in Prague and New York.
The Poetry Jukebox Sculpture offers a selection of 20 poems. These poems are by Czech and Filipino poets. You’ll hear them in both English and Filipino. Filipino writers and artists lend their voices to these recordings.
Among the Filipino poets are Gémino H. Abad and Virgilio S. Almario. Mikael Co and Joselito D. Delos Reyes are also featured. You’ll also hear Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta and Jerry B. Gracio. Allan Pastrana and Ildefonso Santos are included too. Rounding out the list are Rolando S. Tinio and Alfred A. Yuson.
Sarge Lacuesta selected these poems. He also produced the poetry recordings. Indra Cepeda and Mikael Co lend their voices. Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta and Allan Pastrana contribute too. You’ll also hear Lourd de Veyra and Alfred A. Yuson. Lacuesta himself is also among the voices.
Czech poets include Ladislav Seifert and Vítězslav Nezval. Antonín Sova and Václav Hrabě are also featured. Jan Křesadlo is another Czech poet on the list. Mikael Co translated these poems into Filipino.
The Poetry Jukebox Sculpture represents a gift. It commemorates 100 years of Czech and Slovak independence. The Czech Embassy installed it in cooperation with Art BGC and Bonifacio Art Foundation. Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano attended the unveiling.
The Poetry Jukebox Sculpture encourages a moment of pause. It invites people to stop and listen. It helps them discover beauty in their surroundings. It brings poetry to people in a non-poetry age.
Mayor Cayetano loved the project from the start. She believes the Poetry Jukebox Sculpture makes the city more livable. It shows how to use urban spaces for better social interaction.
Ondřej Kobza views this as a bottom-up approach to urbanism. He hopes it gains popularity in Taguig and Metro Manila. The Poetry Jukebox Sculpture makes public spaces more lively and interactive.
Ambassador Jaroslav Olša Jr. was instrumental in bringing this project to Manila. He has greatly enhanced literary and cultural ties. He has initiated the publication of books in various languages. These include Czech, Tagalog, and English.
So, go ahead and press a button. Let the Poetry Jukebox Sculpture fill the air with verse. Experience a moment of beauty in the heart of BGC.