Arto Melleri

Arto Matti Vihtori Melleri (7 September 1956 in Lappajärvi – 13 May 2005 in Helsinki) was a Finnish poet and writer. Melleri gained fame with the play, Pete Q, in the 1970s. He studied at the Theatre Academy of Helsinki between 1976 - 1980. He was granted an artist's Finnish state pension in 2003.

Melleri was a diverse writer; his output consisted of poetry, collections of short stories, plays, a film script and an opera libretto.

Melleri was an archetype of a Finnish bohemian poet. He was hit by a motorist in 1998, causing him brain damage which eventually led to his death. Melleri was married to Nadja Pyykkö.

Tahvo Hirvonen made a 2003 documentary film about Arto Melleri, called Wanderer of a Lonely Star.^[1]

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