CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="referrer" content="no-referrer-when-downgrade"> <style> .hvjs .script--disabled { display: none; } </style> <script> document.getElementsByTagName('html')[0].className += 'hvjs'; </script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.googletagmanager.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://p.typekit.net"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://use.typekit.net"> <title>Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025 | Hammer Channel | Hammer Museum</title> <link rel="canonical" href="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/video/1927/armen-davoudian-reads-february-2025" /> <meta name="description" content="Armen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, The Palace of Forty Pillars, which the San Francisco Chronicle named &ldquo;Best Book of Spring.&rdquo; Davoudian also translated from Persian Hopscotch, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian's dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation."> <meta property="og:description" content="Armen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, The Palace of Forty Pillars, which the San Francisco Chronicle named &ldquo;Best Book of Spring.&rdquo; Davoudian also translated from Persian Hopscotch, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian's dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation."> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/video/1927/armen-davoudian-reads-february-2025"> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025 | Hammer Channel | Hammer Museum"> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Armen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, The Palace of Forty Pillars, which the San Francisco Chronicle named &ldquo;Best Book of Spring.&rdquo; Davoudian also translated from Persian Hopscotch, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian's dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation."> <meta property="og:url" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/video/1927/armen-davoudian-reads-february-2025"> <meta property="og:title" content="Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025 | Hammer Channel | Hammer Museum"> <meta property="og:type" content="video.other"> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/images/d/medium/1927.jpg"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/images/d/medium/1927.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="480"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="270"> <meta name="twitter:player" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/container/1927"> <meta name="twitter:card" content="player"> <meta name="twitter:player:width" content="480"> <meta name="twitter:player:height" content="480"> <meta property="og:video" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/container/1927"> <meta property="og:video:secure_url" content="https://channel.hammer.ucla.edu/container/1927"> <meta property="og:video:type" content="video/mp4"> <meta property="og:video:width" content="480"> <meta property="og:video:height" content="480"> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@hammer_museum"> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Hammer Channel | Hammer Museum"> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="287996529457122"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="57x57" href="/icons/apple-icon-57x57.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="60x60" href="/icons/apple-icon-60x60.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="72x72" href="/icons/apple-icon-72x72.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="76x76" href="/icons/apple-icon-76x76.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="114x114" href="/icons/apple-icon-114x114.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="120x120" href="/icons/apple-icon-120x120.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="144x144" href="/icons/apple-icon-144x144.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="152x152" href="/icons/apple-icon-152x152.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" sizes="180x180" href="/icons/apple-icon-180x180.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="192x192" href="/icons/android-icon-192x192.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="32x32" href="/icons/favicon-32x32.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="96x96" href="/icons/favicon-96x96.png"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" sizes="16x16" href="/icons/favicon-16x16.png"> <link rel="manifest" href="/icons/manifest.json" crossorigin="use-credentials"> <meta name="msapplication-TileColor" content="#ffffff"> <meta name="msapplication-TileImage" content="/icons/ms-icon-144x144.png"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#ffffff"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/app.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/onc8trv.css"> <script> window.INITIAL_STATE = "{\"video\":{\"topics\":[\"Poetry\"],\"playlists\":[],\"description\":\"<p><span data-sheets-root=\\\"1\\\">Armen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, <em>The Palace of Forty Pillars<\\/em>, which the <em>San Francisco Chronicle<\\/em> named “Best Book of Spring.” Davoudian also translated from Persian <em>Hopscotch<\\/em>, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian\'s dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.<br><br>Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation.<\\/span><\\/p>\",\"asset_id\":1927,\"in_playlists\":\"\",\"title\":\"Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025\",\"thumbnail_url\":\"https:\\/\\/hammer.assetbank-server.com\\/assetbank-hammer\\/servlet\\/display?file=22137999f121094898.jpg\",\"tags\":[\"iranian poetry\",\"Contemporary Poetry\",\"live readings\"],\"duration\":\"01:03:15\",\"quote\":\"\",\"speakers\":[\"Stephen Yenser\",\"Armen Davoudian\"],\"date_recorded\":\"2025-02-12T00:00:00\",\"title_slug\":\"armen-davoudian-reads-february-2025\",\"id\":\"1927\",\"src\":\"https:\\/\\/assetbank-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com\\/hammer_b0f882c43c57e94c02d0900798e043bb\\/2cc\\/mut4889797981956348571.mp4?response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22PP202502-01.mp4%22%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27PP202502%252D01%252Emp4&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20250317T131334Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Credential=AKIATJ7XNAYVIDRUS5GS%2F20250317%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-Signature=b790220fb284a951e7f13ac2d53fec09e1894c1c2ed61b7cca3408496c9f40c8\"},\"path\":\"\\/video\\/1927\\/armen-davoudian-reads-february-2025\"}"; </script> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025","description":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan data-sheets-root=\"1\"\u003EArmen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, \u003Cem\u003EThe Palace of Forty Pillars\u003C\/em\u003E, which the \u003Cem\u003ESan Francisco Chronicle\u003C\/em\u003E named “Best Book of Spring.” Davoudian also translated from Persian \u003Cem\u003EHopscotch\u003C\/em\u003E, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian's dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.\u003Cbr\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EOrganized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/hammer.assetbank-server.com\/assetbank-hammer\/servlet\/display?file=22137999f121094898.jpg","uploadDate":"2025-02-12 12:00:00","duration":"PT01H03M15S","embedUrl":"https:\/\/channel.hammer.ucla.edu\/container\/1927"} </script> </head> <body> <div id="app" tabindex="-1"> <div class="container container--fixed container--top header-container"> <header class="header"> <div class="header__content"> <div class="header__title"> <a href="/" aria-label="Homepage" class="link link--with-image" aria-current="page"> <h1 class="visually-hidden">Hammer Channel</h1> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 2000 196.21" aria-labelledby="main-logo" role="img" class="icon"> <title id="main-logo" lang="en">Hammer Channel logo</title> <g fill="currentColor"> <path d="M92.34 180.88c-4.65 0-4.65 0-4.65-4.4v-64.82H49.78v64.82c0 4.4 0 4.4-3.91 4.4H11.62c-4.4 0-4.4 0-4.4-4.4V18.45c0-4.16 0-4.16 4.4-4.16h34.25c3.91 0 3.91 0 3.91 4.16v59.44H87.7V18.45c0-4.16 0-4.16 4.65-4.16h34.25c4.16 0 4.16 0 4.16 4.16v158.02c0 4.4.24 4.4-4.16 4.4H92.34zm200.34 0c5.38 0 5.14 0 3.42-5.14L243.27 16.5c-.73-2.2-.98-2.2-3.18-2.2h-34c-3.18 0-3.42 0-4.16 2.2l-53.08 159.49c-1.71 4.89-1.47 4.89 1.96 4.89h37.18c4.65 0 4.65 0 5.63-3.67l10.52-37.92h36.45c3.42 12.48 11.01 37.67 11.01 37.67 1.22 3.91.98 3.91 4.65 3.91h36.43zM221.25 61.99l10.52 46.97h-21.53l11.01-46.97zm212.82 118.89c-4.65 0-4.89 0-4.89-4.4l-2.2-88.06c-5.14 15.9-12.48 39.87-15.9 50.88-1.47 4.4-1.47 4.4-5.38 4.4h-24.46c-5.14 0-4.89.24-6.36-4.16-3.67-11.01-9.78-35.47-15.41-51.12l-2.69 88.06c-.24 4.4-.24 4.4-4.89 4.4h-30.82c-3.91 0-3.91 0-3.67-4.4l7.58-156.8c.24-5.38.24-5.38 6.12-5.38h30.33c5.38 0 5.38 0 7.83 7.09 0 0 20.3 60.18 23.48 70.45l25.68-70.45c2.69-7.09 2.69-7.09 7.58-7.09h29.6c6.12 0 5.87 0 6.12 5.38l7.58 156.8c.24 4.4.24 4.4-4.4 4.4h-30.83zm181.01 0c-4.16 0-4.4 0-4.4-4.4l-2.45-88.06c-5.38 15.9-12.48 39.87-16.14 50.88-1.47 4.4-1.47 4.4-4.89 4.4h-24.71c-5.38 0-5.38.24-6.6-4.16-3.18-11.01-10.03-35.47-14.92-51.12l-2.94 88.06c-.24 4.4-.24 4.4-5.14 4.4h-30.58c-4.16 0-4.16 0-3.91-4.4l7.83-156.8c.24-5.38.24-5.38 6.12-5.38h30.09c5.63 0 5.63 0 8.07 7.09 0 0 20.3 60.18 23.48 70.45l25.93-70.45c2.45-6.85 1.96-7.09 7.34-7.09h29.35c6.36 0 6.12 0 6.36 5.38l7.34 156.8c.24 4.4.24 4.4-3.91 4.4h-31.32zm108.85-104.7h42.81c4.16 0 4.16.24 4.16 4.4v24.22c0 4.16 0 4.16-4.4 4.16h-42.56v38.89h53.33c4.16 0 4.16.24 4.16 4.16v24.22c0 4.4 0 4.4-4.16 4.4h-89.53c-4.16 0-4.16 0-4.16-4.4V18.45c0-4.16 0-4.16 4.16-4.16h91.49c5.38 0 5.87 0 4.4 4.16l-8.07 24.22c-1.22 3.67-.98 3.67-4.4 3.67h-47.21v29.84zm209.15 100.78c6.36-1.96 6.12-1.71 3.67-5.87L898.34 107c18.1-9.29 26.91-23.73 26.91-44.27 0-48.19-44.52-48.43-62.87-48.43h-45.74c-4.4 0-4.4 0-4.4 4.16v158.02c0 4.4 0 4.4 4.4 4.4h34.49c4.16 0 4.16 0 4.16-4.4v-60.66h6.6l36.69 68c1.71 3.42 1.96 3.67 7.58 1.96l26.92-8.82zM859.69 46.09c13.7 0 24.22.73 24.22 17.37 0 17.86-10.03 20.06-26.66 20.06h-1.96V46.09h4.4zM1147.87 168.16c0 3.18-3.67 5.38-7.09 7.34-10.76 6.6-24.22 10.03-37.18 10.03-44.28 0-66.78-33.02-66.78-90.02 0-29.84 5.63-50.64 19.81-66.29 11.74-12.96 27.89-19.81 45.5-19.81 14.43 0 31.07 5.38 42.07 14.68 1.96 1.71 3.18 2.94 3.18 4.4 0 .73 0 1.47-.49 2.2l-11.25 22.99c-.73 1.47-1.71 2.2-2.69 2.2-.73 0-1.22-.24-1.96-.73-7.58-4.65-16.14-12.23-27.4-12.23-14.92 0-25.2 13.7-25.2 47.7 0 44.76 11.01 61.4 28.62 61.4 10.03 0 17.86-4.89 24.22-9.54.98-.73 1.71-1.22 2.45-1.22.73 0 1.47.73 2.2 2.2l11.25 22.26c.5.97.74 1.7.74 2.44zM1246.21 176.23v-65.07h-38.4v65.07c0 4.65-.98 5.14-5.14 5.14h-30.58c-4.65 0-5.14-.49-5.14-5.14V18.45c0-4.16.49-4.89 5.14-4.89h30.58c4.16 0 5.14.73 5.14 4.89v60.42h38.4V18.45c0-4.16.49-4.89 5.14-4.89h30.33c4.65 0 5.14.73 5.14 4.89v157.78c0 4.65-.49 5.14-5.14 5.14h-30.33c-4.65 0-5.14-.49-5.14-5.14zM1447.77 178.43c0 1.96-1.22 2.94-4.65 2.94h-34.25c-3.91 0-4.4-.24-5.38-4.16l-10.03-37.67h-36.69l-10.03 37.67c-.98 3.91-1.47 4.16-5.38 4.16h-31.8c-3.67 0-4.65-.98-4.65-2.45 0-.73.25-1.71.73-2.94l49.9-158.27c1.22-3.67 1.47-4.16 5.38-4.16H1392c3.91 0 4.16.24 5.38 4.16l49.9 157.78c.25 1.23.49 2.21.49 2.94zm-73.14-132.34c-1.47 11.25-3.42 21.53-5.38 30.33l-8.07 35.22h25.68l-7.34-35.22c-1.95-8.8-2.93-17.85-4.89-30.33zM1553.45 176.47l-40.61-73.63c-6.12-11.01-8.81-17.12-13.45-29.84 1.22 11.74 2.45 20.3 2.45 28.86v74.36c0 4.65-.49 5.14-5.14 5.14h-25.68c-4.65 0-4.89-.98-4.89-5.14V18.45c0-4.16.25-4.89 4.89-4.89h25.44c4.16 0 4.65.24 6.85 4.16l36.94 66.53c4.4 7.83 8.81 18.84 13.7 31.8-.98-11.25-1.96-21.28-1.96-29.84V18.45c0-4.16.49-4.89 5.14-4.89h25.2c4.65 0 4.89.24 4.89 4.89v157.78c0 4.65-.24 5.14-4.89 5.14h-22.02c-4.17 0-4.42-.74-6.86-4.9zM1705.6 176.47l-40.6-73.62c-6.12-11.01-8.81-17.12-13.45-29.84 1.22 11.74 2.45 20.3 2.45 28.86v74.36c0 4.65-.49 5.14-5.14 5.14h-25.68c-4.65 0-4.89-.98-4.89-5.14V18.45c0-4.16.25-4.89 4.89-4.89h25.44c4.16 0 4.65.24 6.85 4.16l36.94 66.53c4.4 7.83 8.81 18.84 13.7 31.8-.98-11.25-1.96-21.28-1.96-29.84V18.45c0-4.16.49-4.89 5.14-4.89h25.2c4.65 0 4.89.24 4.89 4.89v157.78c0 4.65-.24 5.14-4.89 5.14h-22.02c-4.18 0-4.42-.74-6.87-4.9zM1858.73 46.09h-47.46v32.04h39.87c4.16 0 5.14.49 5.14 5.14v22.5c0 4.16-.98 5.14-5.14 5.14h-39.87v37.92h50.88c4.16 0 5.14.49 5.14 5.14v22.26c0 4.16-.98 5.14-5.14 5.14h-86.84c-4.65 0-4.89-.49-4.89-5.14V18.45c0-4.16.25-4.89 4.89-4.89h89.53c3.18 0 4.16.73 4.16 2.45 0 .73-.25 1.71-.49 2.94l-4.4 22.99c-.73 3.18-2.44 4.15-5.38 4.15zM1982.75 181.37h-86.59c-4.65 0-4.89-.49-4.89-5.14V18.45c0-4.16.25-4.89 4.89-4.89h30.82c4.16 0 5.14.73 5.14 4.89v126.71h56.26c3.18 0 4.4.49 4.4 2.94 0 .73 0 1.71-.25 2.69l-4.4 26.42c-.73 3.67-1.71 4.16-5.38 4.16z"></path> </g> </svg> </a> <span class="header__subtitle"> A project of the <a href="https://hammer.ucla.edu" class="link--text"> Hammer Museum </a> </span> </div> <nav aria-label="Main navigation" class="header__actions"> <a class="button button--light overlay-toggle--search" href="/search"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-labelledby="search-header" role="img" class="icon"> <title id="search-header" lang="en">Open the search panel</title> <g fill="currentColor"> <path d="M15.89,14.77A8.9,8.9,0,0,0,18,9a9,9,0,1,0-9,9,8.89,8.89,0,0,0,4.6-1.28l6.73,6.73,2.12-2.12ZM2,9a7,7,0,1,1,7,7A7,7,0,0,1,2,9Z"></path> </g> </svg> </a> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="container script--disabled"> <div id="start-of-content" class="page-wrapper page--video"> <header class="video-meta video-meta__header"> <h1 class="heading heading--primary video-meta__title"> Armen Davoudian reads, February 2025 </h1> <div class="video-meta__date"> Feb 12, 2025 </div> </header> <div class="panels"> <div class="panel--left"> <div class="video-player__wrapper"> <div class="video-player__container"> <div id="video" class="video-player" aria-label="Video Player" style="gap:24px;max-width:66vw;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column;align-items:flex-start;justify-content:center;"> <video style="width: 100%;height: 100%;height:auto;" poster="/images/d/large/1927.jpg" src="https://assetbank-us-east-1.s3.amazonaws.com/hammer_b0f882c43c57e94c02d0900798e043bb/2cc/mut4889797981956348571.mp4?response-content-disposition=attachment%3B%20filename%3D%22PP202502-01.mp4%22%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27PP202502%252D01%252Emp4&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20250317T131334Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Credential=AKIATJ7XNAYVIDRUS5GS%2F20250317%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Expires=604800&X-Amz-Signature=b790220fb284a951e7f13ac2d53fec09e1894c1c2ed61b7cca3408496c9f40c8" playsinline controls> <track kind="captions" label="English" srclang="en" src="/api/videos/1927/transcript?format=vtt"> </video> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="panel--right"> <div class="tabs vp__tabs"> <ul class="nav nav-tabs"> <li role="presentation" class="nav-item nav-link active"> <h2 class="vp__tabs__label"> Info </h2> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="tab-content"> <div class="video-meta"> <div class="video-meta__inner"> <div class="video-meta__description"><p><span data-sheets-root="1">Armen Davoudian, who grew up in Isfahan, Iran, has published his first volume of poems, <em>The Palace of Forty Pillars</em>, which the <em>San Francisco Chronicle</em> named “Best Book of Spring.” Davoudian also translated from Persian <em>Hopscotch</em>, by the contemporary dissident Persian poet Fatemeh Shams. Currently a PhD candidate in English at Stanford University, Davoudian's dissertation focuses on metanoia, a figure emergent in the Renaissance and embodied in the work of many poets over the centuries.<br><br>Organized and hosted by poet, literary critic, and UCLA Distinguished Research Professor Stephen Yenser. Cosponsored by the UCLA Department of English and UCLA Recreation.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script src="/js/manifest.js?id=13b6a4621ddc08e6aa3365ae38053378"></script> <script src="/js/vendor.js?id=c7067f6980c19b42bbfbf91b7bc560cd"></script> <script src="/js/app.js?id=8887753800477de709e47f229c0abd4e"></script> </body> </html>