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Martijn Benders (born 23 July 1971 in Helmond) is a Dutch poet and philosopher. He was the chief editor of the literary magazine De Honingzaag. Benders is known for his experimental poetry and has published several poetry collections and philosophical works.
In 2008, Benders published his first poetry collection, Karavanserai, with Nieuw Amsterdam publishers. The collection was nominated for the C. Buddingh'-prijs for best Dutch-language poetry debut. [1]
At the award ceremony for the C. Buddingh'-prijs, Benders performed an unconventional act inspired by the Slovenian band Laibach. Along with Bart van der Pligt and composer Samuel Vriezen, he staged a performance that included reading an anti-prize poem and singing a song titled "Lezen is Lezen" ("Reading is Reading"), set to the tune of "Live Is Life" by Austrian band Opus. [2]
In 2011, Benders self-published his second poetry collection, Wat koop ik voor jouw donkerwilde machten, Willem ("What Do I Buy for Your Dark-Wild Powers, William"), which received positive reviews. [3]
In 2013, Benders published Wôld, Wôld, Wôld!, a personalized poetry book that included dedications to the reader, poems in Dutch and English, concrete poems, and images. [4]
In 2019, Benders co-founded the publishing house De Kaneelfabriek, inspired by the works of Bruno Schulz. He also became the chief editor of the literary-philosophical magazine De Honingzaag. [5] That same year, he published Baah Baaah Krakschaap/De P van Winterslaap, an experimental poetry volume that sold out two print runs. [6]
In 2020, Benders published Waarover de Piranha droomt in de limonadesloot ("What the Piranha Dreams About in the Lemonade Ditch"), a philosophical work exploring human imagination and its relationship with reality.
In 2021, he released Ginneninne, a collection that infused the Dutch language with Gaelic and Irish-based neologisms. [7]
In 2022, he published Amanita Muscaria, the Book of the Empress, an extensive study on the Amanita muscaria mushroom, discussing its role in human evolution and cultural significance.
In 2023, Benders released Gedichten om te Lezen in het Donker ("Poems to Read in the Dark"), a collection written after the loss of two family members. The collection explores themes of grief and reflection. He also published The Eternal Hazing, examining the portrayal of dissenting voices and the dynamics within literary institutions and censorship of leftwing voices in the coronacrisis.
In 2024, Benders published Het zijn maar Bergen ("It's Only Mountains"), a poetry collection that incorporates artificial intelligence to create a singing book, including eight forewords by deceased poets. That year, Benders also became active in two musical projects. He joined the Dutch duo Berry Lee Berry, which was featured in the Argentine Rolling Stone article "Reggae alrededor del mundo: 20 artistas para descubrir la vibración," highlighting their psychedelic-dub single "Wail O Wail O Rocka Man." [8]
In 2024, Benders published several essays in The Philosophical Salon.
Early the next year he co-founded the German-Dutch electronic duo The Stoss with musician Dieter Adam; their debut album, Höllenhelle Eisenbahn, was released in January 2025.
That same year Benders announced he would no longer publish books in Dutch, citing what he called “neoconservative control over literature” in the Netherlands. His new poetry collection, Labrospettro, is scheduled to appear in Italian with Edizioni Transeuropa (Massa) in October 2025.Turkish publisher Anima Yayınları has likewise acquired his work O Kolle Tiktakörümcek, to be released later in 2025.
Beyond his literary pursuits, Benders collaborated with Astrid Vik and Jorund Mørkved on the choreography Fyrbøteren, and is currently completing Love’s Secret Domain, the second volume in his shhhhhhrooms series, expected by year’s end.
In music, he also released a country album with Kroes den Bock, The Rascal from Alaska (2025)
Benders' work combines various literary styles, including lyrical, conceptual, satirical, and absurdist influences. His poetry and philosophical writings often challenge conventions and critique societal structures. He incorporates elements such as performance art and multimedia into his work. [9]
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