Diana Anphimiadi

Anphimiadi was born in Tbilisi in 1982.[5] She has Pontic Greek ancestry.[6] She attended Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, studying the Georgian languages, and later received a Master's in linguistics.[7]

Anphimiadi released her first work in 2008, winning first prize in the 2008 Tsero (Crane) literary contest and the Saba literary award for best first collection.[8] As well as several poetry collections, she published a selection of stories, memories and recipes in 2012, entitled Personal Cuisine.[9]

A chapbook of her work was published in 2018 in English, and a full collection of her work (Why I No Longer Write Poems) in 2022 by Bloodaxe Books.[10] According to her publisher, "Her award-winning work reflects an exceptionally curious mind and glides between classical allusions and surreal imagery. She revivifies ancient myths and tests the reality of our senses against the limits of sense. Boldly inventive, prayers appear alongside recipes, dance lessons next to definitions. Her playful, witty lyricism offers a glimpse of the eternal in the everyday."[3] In The Guardian, Fiona Sampson called it "gorgeous, fabulising verse."[11] Why I No Longer Write Poems won a PEN Translates Award.[12]

In 2021, some of her poetry was published in French translation as part of an anthology of Georgian women's poetry.[13]

Anphimiadi lives in Tbilisi.[15][16] She is currently preparing a doctoral dissertation at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.[17]