Norbert Hirschhorn takes a long cool look at a new poetry & art volume from Australia
Year 2014
Romeo Castellucci at Brussels’ La Monnaie (De Munt in Dutch) opera house takes a real-life sufferer of locked-in syndrome and turns her into the protagonist of Ophee et Eurydice (adapted by Hector Berlioz from Gluck).
Leah Fritz enjoys contrasting – but equally life-embracing – collections from two Amsterdam-based poets
* This issue of London Grip features new poems by: *Richard Loranger *Stephen Bone *Phil Kirby *Wendy French *Danielle Hope *Harvey O’Leary *Bruce Christianson *Elizabeth Smither *Jayne Stanton *Matthew Gavin Frank *Ann Douglas *Martin Malone *Emily Strauss *Allison McVety *Ann Vaughan-Williams *Richie McCaffery
Ruth Valentine examines collections by Barbara Marsh, Nadine Brummer & Wendy Pratt and considers how they deal poetically with death and dying.
Matisse’s Startling Late Works: The Cut-Outs. Tate Modern, 17 April – 7 September 2014 No wonder Henri Matisse is well loved. His works are sensuous, jubilant, gorgeous: they envelop and immerse the viewer in voluptuousness, in light that finds itself materialised as coloured form, coloured space.
Merryn Williams is thankful that many poets remain unconvinced about the necessity of war and find compelling ways to say so in this new anthology
Thomas Ovans is impressed by Roger Owen’s absorbing and lucid introduction to the work of the Welsh dramatist Gwenlyn Parry
* This issue of London Grip New Poetry features poems by: *Teoti Jardine *Carol DeVaughn *Michael Lee Johnson *John Snelling *Robert Nisbet *Louise Warren *Jennie Christian *Ricky Garni *Kate Foley *Christopher Mulrooney *Ian C Smith *Shanta Acharya *Jennifer Johnson *Ruth Bidgood *Robert Chandler
One of the more unlikely joys of Brussels life is the rotating EU presidency. Every six months, a different member of the 28-strong European Union takes on the task of presiding over policy-making. For the citizens of Brussels, it’s a chance for a cultural mini break without the expense and inconvenience of braving the airport.
Thomas Ovans is very grateful to Paul McLoughlin and Shoestring Press for republishing some of the best work of the poet Brian Jones.
Rosie Johnston is carried along by the energy and generosity of Stephen Watts’ poetry
By Michael Bartholomew-Biggs • books, poetry reviews, Year 2014