Faces Then focuses on the 16th-century, regarded as the golden age of the portrait, when it was the rich, the powerful and the burgeoning bourgeoisie who could afford to have their portraits taken. Faces Now confines itself to the period since 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and, with it, the collapse of ideologies and artistic parameters.
Margaret Hollingsworth finds herself needing to think deeply about an intentionally chaotic modern mystery play devised by the Birmingham based company Stan’s Cafe
Emma Lee responds to the sensitivity and compassion in a new collection by Sue Rose
Thomas Ovans has mixed views about the Forward Prize winning collection by Kei Miller.
Norbert Hirschhorn takes a thoughtful look at Kerrin P Sharpe‘s second poetry collection
Two new poetry chapbooks from Wayleave Press by Carole Coates and Pauline Keith successfully tackle some very challenging material.
Josh Ekroy reflects on poetic risk-taking and difficulty in relation to Chris McCabe’s new collection.
Richie McCaffery admires both the wit and the poignancy in this generous selection from Remco Campert’s poetry
. JON STALLWORTHY 1935-2014 It’s hard to sum up the achievement of Jon Stallworthy in a word or a phrase. He was a poet, biographer of Wilfred Owen and Louis MacNeice, Professor of English Literature at Oxford, a translator of Russian poetry, an inspired editor and anthologist and an enabler of other writers. I am […]
Wendy Klein finds Rosie Jackson’s new pamphlet carries all the weight of a full collection
Norbert Hirschhorn finds mythic significance behind a word & image collaboration between an artist and a poet
Norbert Hirschhorn reflects on the place of form in contemporary poetry, with particular reference to a substantial new selection of work from Marilyn Hacker.
By Michael Bartholomew-Biggs • books, poetry reviews, year 2015