Astrid Lorange reading at SOd party, Frontyard, September 18, 2016
On a very rainy afternoon on the 18th of September, in a shared art space in Marrickville, Sydney (Frontyard), nine poets read their work: Astrid Lorange, Pam Brown, Alison Coppe, Emily Stewart, Yasmin Heisler, Holly Isemonger, catherine vidler, Dave Drayton and Nick Whittock. The reading was organized by SOd Press, an Australian small press focusing on radical poetics: a press begun by a.j. carruthers and now a collaborative project between myself and him.
There is a rich critical history examining the relationship between page and performance within the scene of the “poetry reading,” particularly when it comes to texts that can be identified with an avant-garde tradition.[1]
This series will examine experimental vocal, somatic performances, not necessarily given by Sydney poets, but within Sydney reading environments. Our environment is Australasian and ultra urban, near university campuses (spaces of cockroaches, coffee, warm weather, high rent).
How do they read experimental poetry in Sydney?
There is a rich critical history examining the relationship between page and performance within the scene of the “poetry reading,” particularly when it comes to texts that can be identified with an avant-garde tradition.[1]
This series will examine experimental vocal, somatic performances, not necessarily given by Sydney poets, but within Sydney reading environments.
Emily Stewart at the Sydney launch of Knocks (Vagabond Press, 2016)
Female names dominate the dedications and acknowledgements of Emily Stewart’s book of poems, Knocks (Vagabond Press: 2016). The closing sentence of the acknowledgements section? “girl poets everywhere: this is for you.”[1]To read Stewart is to be in the company of women. The launches of Knocks have so far embodied this sense of a poetry girl gang. In Sydney, it was launched by Pam Brown, with readings by Elena Gomez and Holly Isemonger (August 14, 2016).
Eddie Hopely reading at Sappho's, August 9, photo by Phan Quỳnh Trâm
Toby Fitch, following Eddie Hopely’s reading at Sappho’s monthly "Avant Gaga" poetry night (August 9, 2016) described Hopely as “the ultimate troll.” Hopely is this and more. His work is striking for its uncompromising (and potentially self-sabotaging) interrogation of the bodies and frameworks that support/facilitate/provide space for (his) poetry. To edit, publish, stand near (or, for that matter, write on) Hopely’s work, is to risk appearing earnest, naïve and kind of establishment in comparison to his anti-institutional poetics.
Toby Fitch, following Eddie Hopely’s reading at Sappho’s monthly "Avant Gaga" poetry night (August 9, 2016) described Hopely as “the ultimate troll.”
Ouyang Yu reading at Sappho's Cafe and Bookshop (Glebe)
Ouyang Yu's poem "Philosophy" in the "Leaf or Fallen Bank" chapter/section of his recent collection, Fainting with Freedom, reads, in part:
Martin Heidegger had extramarital affairs with two of his girl students. See the source at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Heidegger.[1]
Fainting with Freedom is not available as an ebook, nor is it even previewable from google books. So, for the reader of "Philosophy," this hyperlink is dead: it can't be clicked on, it doesn't offer the immediate gratification of near instantaneous direction to the citational "source." To track the citation involves putting the book down, and potentially moving from page to a screen.
Sydney reading experiments: Poetry in performance