Mehmed Begić
Mehmed Begić is a poet from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Biography
He was born in 1977 in Čapljina.He spent his early youth in his hometown, as well as in Mostar and Sarajevo. He is one of the founders and editors of the cultural magazine Kolaps - A guide for urban sleepers.
In 2000, together with Marko Tomaš, Nedim Ćišić, and Veselin Gatalo, he published a joint poetry collection titled L'amore al primo binocolo with the Italian publisher L'Obliqua in Brescia.
His translations of Leonard Cohen’s poetry into Bosnian appeared in the published collection Moj život u umjetnosti, released by Alternativni institut Mostar in 2003.
He is featured in the interview and poetry collection Jer mi smo mnogi by Croatian poet Marko Pogačar.
Begić has collaborated with the band Vuneny and singer-songwriter Sanel Marić Mara. He occasionally contributes to online publications such as Žurnal, Blesok, and magazines like Tema. Together with Damir Šodan, he translates Hispanic poetry in the Divlji detektivi series.
He has an ongoing cooperation with Sarajevo-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Basheskia, resulting in several albums. In 2015, the album Savršen metak, blending his poetry and music, was released.
He also participated in the album Iznad tame – Pjesme za Viktora Haru with the collective Novi odmetnici. All lyrics were written by Begić.
He lived for many years in both Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. As of 2024, he lives in Madrid.
Reception
Begić’s poetry has been reviewed in regional literary magazines such as Žurnal, Zarez, Novosti, and Oslobođenje.In a 2020 afterword published in Žurnal, writer Semezdin Mehmedinović described Begić’s poetics as "a new identity that resists the established limits of geographical, ethnic, and cultural borders."
In a review published in the Zagreb-based magazine Zarez, critic Marko Pogačar wrote that the collection Savršeni metak u stomak draws on elements of the Beat Generation, the lyricism of Leonard Cohen, and the minimalist surrealism of Charles Simic.
In the review Ritam i aritmija, published on the Novosti portal, critic Saša Ćirić situates Begić’s collection Opasan čovjek within the context of four contemporary Bosnian poets.
In a review for Oslobođenje, critic Đorđe Krajišnik described Opasan čovjek as "a military coup of the soul."
The late Croatian journalist and writer Predrag Lucić published an essay on Begić’s poetry titled “Mehmed Begić’s Razorblade Wreath” in the literary magazine Žurnal.
His work has also appeared in projects supported by international institutions. In 2013, together with Marko Tomaš, he co-authored the anthology Midnight Talks. The book was published as part of the “Little Library” project of the Youth Council of Mostar, with support from the British Council, UN Volunteers, and OKC Abrašević.
Begić’s collection Bebop, recognized regionally, is distributed internationally and is listed by Barnes & Noble.
Discography
Savršen metak Opasan čovjek Seven Lessons with Mehmed Begic Kotlina- ''Iznad tame – Pjesme za Viktora Haru''