”We contain multitudes,” says Patti Smith (b.1946) in this interview about her many different energies and ways of expressing herself. She goes on to demonstrate this by reading from her book ‘Woolgathering’ (1992), talking about spirituality and prayer and how we all have creative impulses. Patti Smith also performs ‘Fire of Unknown Origin’, talks about her big love Robert Mapplethorpe, about inspiration, writing and art, and reads from her book ‘Just Kids’ (2010). Finally Patti Smith offers advice to the young and talks about the world today and the power of the people: “All the young people are pioneers of the new time.”

Patti Smith (b.1946) is an award-winning American punk rock musician, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential figure in the New York City punk rock scene with her debut album ‘Horses’ in 1975. Smith fuses rock and poetry in her work, and has been dubbed the ”punk poet laureate” as well as ”the godmother of punk.” In 2007 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2010 Rolling Stone magazine put her on the 47th place of their list of 100 Greatest Artists. Among her many albums are ’Horses’ (1975), ’Radio Ethiopia’ (1976), ’Easter’ (1978), ’Gone Again’ (1996) and ’Banga’ (2012). Smith is also the author of several books, including ’Woolgathering’ (1992), ’Just Kids’ (2010) – which won the National Book Award and describes her relationship to her lover and friend, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe – and ’M Train’ (2015).

Patti Smith was interviewed by Christian Lund at the Louisiana Literature festival at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in 2012.

Edited by: Kamilla Bruus
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art

Supported by Nordea-fonden.