Ronny Someck was born in Baghdad in 1951 and came to Israel as a young child. He studied Hebrew literature and philosophy at Tel Aviv University and drawing at the Avni Academy of Art. He has worked with street gangs, and currently teaches literature and leads creative writing workshops.
He has published 10 volumes of poetry (The last called “ALGERIA”) and book for children with his daughter Shirly ( “The Laughter Button”). It has been translated into 39 languages.Selections of his poems have appeared in Arabic translation, French (with the exile Iraqi poet- A.K. El-Janabi), Catalan, Albanian , Italian, Macedonian, Croatian, Yiddish, Nepali, Dutchand English.
He is the recipient of the Prime Minister's Award, Yehuda Amichai Award for Hebrew poetry, The "Wine poem award" in Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia, 2005 and Hans Berghhuis prize for poetry 2006 at the Maastricht International Poetry Nights, the Netherlands
He has recorded three discs with the musician Elliott Sharp: “Revenge of the Stuttering Child”, “Poverty Line” and “A Short History of Vodka.”
In 1998 he mounted an exhibition “Nature’s Factory, winter 2046” with Beny Efrat in the Israel Museum.In 2004 made "Hawadja Bialik" and in 2007 made "Real Madrid"-two exhibitions in the Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan.He is a member of the Public Council of the Batsheva Dance Company and the Hebrew- Arabic Theatre.
Poems (Special edition on the occasion of Literature Live Festival. 2008, Zagreb)
In English:
The Fire Stays in Red (2002, USA)
In French:
Nes a Bagdad with A.K. El Janabi (1998, Paris)
Constat de Beaute (Edition PHI, 2008, Luxembourg)
In Italian
Il Rosso Catalogo della Parola Tramonto with Fausta Squatriti (NOLA)
Il Bambino Balbuziente (Mesogea, Sicily 2008) 2002)
In Macedonian
weat (2005, Skopje)
In Nepali
Baghdad, February 1991 Translated into Nepali by Yuyutsu RD Sharma, (Nirala Publications, 2010, New Delhi in collaboration with White Lotus Book Shop, Kathmandu)
In Yiddish
I am a pajama Iraqi (H.Levick Publishing House, Tel Aviv)
In Dutch
"Blues van de derde zoen"(Azul Press.Maasticht 2010)
Translations of his poems have appeared in anthologies and poetry journals in 39 languages.
“The wall of bliss”, The Artist Museum, Lodz, 1933.
“Jasmine”. Um-El-Fahem Gallery, 1996.
“A poem of bliss”, Artists-Messengers of peace, Eretz-Israel Museum, 1996.
“Rosalia”- “Mini-Arutr”, Gubbio, Italy, 1997.
“The Razor that cut the Metaphoric Face of Poetry”- Five etchings by Yigal Ozeri ensuing five poems by Ronny Someck, Tel-Aviv Museum, Binet Gallery, Israel, Z Gallery New York, 1997.
Nature's Factory, with Benni Efrat, THE ISRAEL MUSEUM ,1998.
" “The Ballad OF alcohol Valley”.Haifa International Installation Triennale. HAIFA MUSEUM OF ART.1999.
Markers — On Outdoor Banner Event of Artists an Poets for Venice Biennale. 2001, 2003,2005,2007.
“Il Rosso Catalogo della Parola Tramonto”-Five etchings by Fausta Squatriti ensuing poems by Ronny Someck. Fallani Best Gallery.Firenze. 2002.
"Hawadja Bialik"-The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan.2004.
"Impermanenza".Centro Studi Maitreya-Venezia.2004
"And Next to it ,in a Similar Frame"-15 photographers relating to the poems of Ronny Someck.College of Design —Haifa-Canadian Hadassah Wizo.2005
"Rehal Madrid"- The Museum of Israeli Art, Ramat-Gan.2007/