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Beyond Spice – Book Launch

Beyond Spice coverYou are invited to the book launch of “Beyond Spice”, an art and poetry publication

Date: 25 May 2016, Time: 18h00 for 18h30

Venue: Skoobs Book Theatre, Shop 74, Monte Casino, Fourways, Johannesburg

Come and Interact with the authors (5 artists and a poet) and enjoy a live poetry reading from the book, while allowing yourself to be mesmerized by “Kinsmen”, young musicians swaying between Jazz and Indian fusion.

Limited Edition Fine Art prints of artworks from the book will be on sale.

Finger foods and a cash bar will be available

 

Purchase the book on the evening and stand a chance to win a fine art print of your choice!

Beyond Spice authors

 

BEYOND SPICE
Zena Velloo John’s Poetry accompanied by the Visual Artistic Expressions of: Jayna Mistry, Kershnee Velloo, Raeesah Mahomed, Shaskia John and Shenaz Mahomed

 

 

 

Message from the authors

Our art and poetry book “Beyond Spice” was born from an elusive ideal a year ago by women of Indian origin in Pretoria. We wished to realise our individual creative interests into a book.

We are a group of six women, the youngest being a teenager, and the oldest almost fifty. The inter-generational and inter-faith perspectives added vibrant layers to our creative work. Being descendants of a largely labour-migrant Indian group, we hope to add a creative body of work to the richness of the current South African culture.

The six authors are a teenaged university student; two business owners; a teacher; an accountant and an art curator. This alliance was initiated by a community member.

Women of Pretoria, like in other areas in South Africa, have a unique perspective on life, and this has remained partially hidden. We hope our book offers some insight into these veiled worlds, and adds to a collective understanding of human nature and all things creative.

We want to encourage artistic endeavours and provide future platforms for others to draw on their creative reserves and to share their usually reticent talents, with a focus on youth and women in particular.

Trainstorm

Trainstorm: An International Anthology of Railway Poems and Drawings

amitabh-trainstorm

Submissions are invited for consideration by Editor/ Designer Amitabh Mitra. Only work chosen by the Editor will be published and may be subjected to mutually agreed edits. Format of book is Matte Finish, Soft Cover printed on 90gsm paper. The mission of this book is to get train poetry and art out into the world. Circulation will be worldwide mainly through Amazon.com, Amazon.in and Flipkart. Books will also be available from the Poetry Printery website. Please take into consideration the thoughts on train journeys below but you do not have to be literal about it. Both written and visual work solicited. The printing will be greyscale with cover and back in colour.

Publication Year – 2016

Publisher – Poets Printery, South Africa / Cyberwit.net India

Trains remind us of a colonial era in India and Africa when station masters, guards and train drivers were of British origins. A vast network of railway lines and train stations also brought many real life stories later made into magnum opus film productions. We are also reminded of trains to Auschwitz, Poland and Gulags in the former Soviet Union. Happiness and extreme trauma, both are associated with train and train journeys.

I welcome my fellow poets and artists in joining me in this incredible adventure – Trainstorm

All poets and visual artists are welcome to submit poems and drawings regarding trains and train journeys. Submissions to Amitabh Mitra at amitabh@amitabhmitra.com with a 50 word bio.

NB: Last Date for Submissions is 30 November 2015

The Melville Poetry Festival

When: Friday October 14th and Saturday October 15th 2011

The first Melville Poetry Festival Showcase is happening this Friday and Saturday, with an exciting line up of poets writing in all languages set to read and perform their work.

Over 30 poets will be gathering for the festival, with readings, panel discussions, exhibitions, book launches and music taking place at different venues in 7th Street and 4th Avenue. Poets participating include Angifi Dladla, Keorapetse Kgositsile, Robert Berold, Kobus Moolman, Arja Salafranca, Ike Muila, Uhuru Waga Phalafala, the Botsotso Jesters, Toast Coetzer, Loftus Marais, Charl-Pierre Naudé, Johann Lodewyk Marais and Rene Bohnen.

The festival kicks off on Friday 14th October at 9.30am at the old Koffie Huis in 4th Avenue with the Jozi Spoken Word poetry writing and performance workshop where poets young and old can hone their skills under the guidance of established poets and writing teachers.

On Saturday book launches by Dye Hard Press and Deep South Publishing start the day, before the festival’s official opening at 1.30pm with Ron Smerczak, Yoliswa Mogale, and the Botsotso Jesters. In a creative collaboration entitled ‘Digkyk/Eyepoems’, Naudé, Peter Fincham and Hans Pienaar will mount an exhibition of images integrated with poetry, while a theatre projection called ‘Angels and Stones’ will be narrated by Lionel Murcott.

Panel discussions include a talk on the influence of Wopko Jensma (‘The Ghost of Wopko Jensma’) and one called ‘Into Poetry: How to Get Young People to Enjoy Wordplay’, facilitated by Pamela Nichols from the Wits Writing Centre.

Readings and exhibitions carry on throughout the afternoon, with the day wrapping up with a music festival (Andries Bezuidenhout , Planet Lindela Jazz Trio, Riku Latti & Les Javen, and Lithal Li) which will also be used to showcase up-and-coming slam poets.

“The festival offers a great opportunity to listen and engage with South African poets writing in all languages – and for poets to meet and talk to each other, which doesn’t always happen,” says Alan Finlay, a poet who will also be reading at the event. “I think the panel on Wopko Jensma raises a question about the spirit of South African poetry that’s worth exploring.”

Allan Kolski-Horwitz, a Botsotso Jester who, together with the Wits Writing Centre, has run Jozi Spoken Word for several years, feels that the idea of intimate readings at cafés and shops in Melville is a unique one. “The blending of students and local residents with a wide range of poets should make for a very stimulating exchange,” he says.

“The plan is to hold a national festival next year, and then to grow it from there – and already several sponsors have shown an interest,” explains Eleanor Koning, one of the organizers of the festival. “That’s why we’re calling this festival a ‘showcase’ – we want to build on it in the future, inviting more poets from around the country and even internationally to take part.”

“We also need to develop real public festivals – a festival where everyone is welcome and heard and we can together develop our new multicultural, multi-faceted literature,” adds Nichols. “We hope the workshop on Friday will contribute to developing the new South African poetry and we believe that Melville with its bookshops and coffee shops and restaurants and wandering poets is the perfect place to incubate a new and creative literary culture.”

Books will be on sale at the venues. Come support South African poetry, or just browse around, catching snippets of poems and song, while visiting the local book and coffee shops that line the streets.

Entrance to all readings, panel discussions and the Friday poetry workshop is free. The slam event and music in the evening costs R15 for students and R30 for adults. To see the full programme for the event, visit The Melville Poetry Facebook Page.

For more information:

For more information on the festival, please speak to Eleanor Koning on 082 386 4688 or e-mail her at eleanor(at)melvilla.co.za

To participate in the Jozi Spoken Word poetry workshop, please contact Pamela Nichols at Pamela.Nichols(at)wits.ac.za

WALE Festival 2011

WALE, the Wits Arts and Literature Experience, begins on the 11th May 2011. The festival showcases not only Wits University’s artistic and literary talent, but also presents works and ideas from greater Johannesburg and farther afield.

This year’s festival is titled “WALE 4.0: Over the Edge”. The lineup includes a full-length work by South African choreographer Athena Mazerakis and Helen Iskander’s visual theatre production, Planet B. The festival features workshops, arts and theatre performances, screenings, exhibitions and seminars and a host of other activities all open to the public:

The Wits Arts & Literature Experience (WALE) kicks off on May 11th 2011 – once again delivering an engaging, accessible arts programme to all Gautengers.

Highlights of WALE 4.0 include the premiere of a new full length work by leading South African choreographer and Wits Artist-in-Residence, Athena Mazerakis as well as the visual theatre production, “Planet B” directed by Helen Iskander. A spectacular opening parade, world-class music and literature, cutting-edge dance and theatre, film screenings, exhibitions, seminars, and workshops are also part of taking WALE 4.0 “Over The Edge” in 2011.

More to follow on the WALE event on this site shortly. In the meantime, please check out the WALE festival website.

The Secret Life of Sea Urchins

Once upon a time, there was a young turtle named Geeta. For many moons she pondered about what to do with her life. Then suddenly it came to her: she would write a short story about the secret life of sea urchins.

Now sea urchins are fascinating creatures… (to be continued)

Introductory Image to Word post

photo of ghee diwas What is it that you see and feel when you see these lamps? Are you indifferent to them? Or do they inspire you?

Hello World Haiku

Let’s say “hello world”
as we start on this journey
Welcome WritingWorks!

Hello world!

Welcome to WritingWorks, a joint venture between the Wits Writing Centre and MistryWorks. This portal aims to encourage, support and promote writers and poets in South Africa.