„Der Anspruch auf Anspruch und der Anspruch auf Spaß:“ Postmoderne Züge in Bas Böttchers literarischem Programm

Abstract

Bas Böttcher has been at the forefront of Germany’s spoken-word poetry scene for more than a decade, and has gained worldwide popularity and critical acclaim. By way of an unusual metaphor, I show in this article how elements of a pluralistic postmodern aesthetic have held the key to Böttcher’s significant commercial and literary success. Like the plays of his literary role model, Shakespeare, Böttcher’s poetry represents what one critic has called a “head-on collision between art and entertainment.“ He reduces the distance between artist and audience by means of a multilayered (double-coded) poetry that appeals on a variety of levels to a variety of audiences. Yet Böttcher seeks not only to close the gap between high and popular art, but also to dissolve any literary boundaries between perceived binary oppositions. Particularly in his recent Textbox project, Böttcher presents hybrid juxtapositions between word and image, sight and sound. His literary frame of reference crosses cultural and historical boundaries, while he neither adheres to the formal constraints of traditional lyric or the 4/4 rhythm of pop music nor does he resort to vers libre.