As you can tell by the out-of-date state of our website, brief is in need of some help.
We are looking for volunteers to update the website with news of publications, events, launches, and et cetera. No web design skills necessary, familiarity with wp an advantage.
Unfortunately the only payment for this, like anything to do with brief, is the satisfaction of knowing you are magnanimously helping an interesting journal.
If this sounds like you, please drop us a line.
The rapidly developing action in Novel straddles Aotearoa New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR, Philippines and beyond. In our contemporary world of increasing electronic surveillance from hegemonic national administrations, several diverse characters struggle to survive to resist in a variety of ways. At the same time the so-called established methods of writing fiction undergo deconstruction.
Who: Vaughan Rapatahana. Introduction by Roger Horrocks
When: Sunday 10 March, 2.pm
Where: Nectar Lounge, Kingslander Hotel, New North Road, Auckland.
The novel has a highly visual cinematic quality to it, cutting quickly from scene to scene while letting the action speak for itself. Its uncluttered narrative held my attention to the last page. It deserves a wide readership. – Bob Orr
What: 45 page chapbook featuring the work of new poetry group CAP (Central Auckland Poets)
Who: Michael Giacon, Gillian Roach, Alexandra Fraser, Lincoln Jaques, Denise O’Hagan.
Chapbook designed by Anna Marshall and published by CAPpress.
to open the gate to the beautiful garden
open the gate
Illustration by Marc Conaco
When: Wednesday 17 October, 5.30-7 pm
Where: Old Government House, cnr Princes St and Waterloo Quadrant, CBD, Auckland.
Who: MC Erena Shingade with readings from Richard von Sturmer, Jack Ross, Iain Britton, Selina Ershadi, JM Francis, Amber French, Chris Holdaway, Renee Liang, Bobby Park and Sam Te Kani.
Number 65 in a popular series of poetry readings hosted by the University of Auckland in the Old Government House lounge.
Below are full colour reproductions of four paintings by John Downie which appear alongside their texts, in black and white, in brief issue 56. To mark the transition, we have also included a further poem and image by Downie here: Black White Colour.
John Downie’s book, The Only Time: an autobiography in twelve pictures, is forthcoming from Steele Roberts this year. (Click images to view them in more detail).
1967
The only time
Black and white changed
Into colour
I was in the very room
A forward sense of myself
Had sneaked me
Through a broken back-window
Into the Magic Theatre
Convinced I alone could manipulate and mix up
Puppets, masks, light
With disputational voices
Into the reality
Of an illusion
However
The apparatus already had its own ideas
About the polychromatic possibilities
Of the spectacle
In which as many lives
As were seemingly being lived
In every scoured quarter of the Earth
Could be elided through past and future
Into a perpetual present
Pixellating pure motion
Incessant song
Agonies of the heart
Ecstasies of commodification
Bleeding scarifications of the political will
All together
Into vibrant, cool
Illusions of a reality
Available, night and day
With no more required effort
Than the restless flicking
Of opposable thumbs
Without any need at all
For my feverish monochrome adolescence
To help animate them
John Downie: BLACK WHITE COLOUR 1967
UNIFORM 1943
John Downie: UNIFORM 1943
CHE 1967
John Downie: CHE 1967
BED 1970
John Downie: BED 1970
ASYLUM 1989
John Downie: ASYLUM 1989
The accompanying text for these paintings appears in excerpt from The Only Time, which appears in brief issue 56.
Edited by Olivia Macassey. 144pp.
Featuring work by: Ivy Alvarez, Aimee-Jane Anderson-O’Connor, Nick Ascroft, Victor Billot, Iain Britton, Isaac Brodie, Brent Cantwell, Stephanie Christie, Mary Cresswell, Brett Cross, Makyla Curtis, William Direen, John Downie, Doc Drumheller, John Geraets, Michael Giacon, Rata Gordon, Dale Johnson, Robert Kempen, Sid Khanzode, Rosalie Liu, Caoimhe McKeogh, joshua morris, Michael Morrisey, Janet Newman, Piet Nieuwland, Andrew Maximillian Niss, Keith Nunes, Vaughan Rapatahana, Sahanika Ratnayake, Jack Ross, Lisa Samuels, Carin Smeaton, Michael Steven, Fiona Stevens, Richard Taylor, Denys Trussell, Richard von Sturmer, E Wen Wong, Mark Young.
Reviews: Jen Crawford reviews Excerpts from a Natural History by Holly Painter and The Burnt Hotel by Olivia Macassey.
“an isle of amusements, mysteries and wonders…”
A supplement to the current issue is located here.
A supplement to issue 55 is located here.
Brief has re-emerged and is seeking all manner of changes, transformations, alterations, mutations, re-orderings, transfigurations, conversions, variations, reorganizations, evolutions, metamorphoses, modifications, and reconstructions.
Submissions are to be received by September 30, 2018, and can be emailed to brief.the.journal[at]gmail.com. Non-electronic submissions up to A4 in size can be mailed to the editor by prior arrangement.
View our submission guidelines here.
Brief, a biannual print journal (founded in 1995), is a space for new experimental writing, work that does something interesting, adventurous, challenging, or exploratory. Brief publishes poetry, prose, essays & criticism, hybrid forms, and occasionally visual art. Contributors receive an issue of the journal as payment.
Direen’s new show brings together elements of music poetry and theatre in a live 
evening of texts, songs and improvisation. Direen will perform songs, some known, some new, counterbalanced by creative compositions by a small ensemble of select musicians.
Who:Bill Direen, Steve Cournane, others. Text by Direen and Alan Brunton.
When: Friday 18 & Saturday 19 May, 8pm
Where: Audio Foundation, 4 Poynton Tce, Auckland
It will be the first-ever public performance of a mini song-cycle written by Direen and poet Alan Brunton about Michael Joseph Savage.
(Titus Books, 2018)The Waihorotiu Stream ‘Queen Street River’ used to run down the centre of Auckland’s main road before it was first turned into a canal, and then later diverted into a sewer, where it now flows beneath Queen street.
The Tales of the Waihorotiu tell the story of another Auckland, one that lives beside and underneath capital investment and economic growth. It captures the hardships and humour of people who are forced to navigate WINZ case managers, homelessness, violence and ill-health.
The evening will also celebrate the release of Vaughan Rapatahana’s latest book, ternion.
Who: Carin Smeaton, Vaughan Rapatahana. Murray Edmond, Laurice Gilbert, Rata Gordon, Jiaquio Rosalie Liu, Alexandra Fraser
When: Wednesday 11 October, 6.pm
Where: St Heliers Community Library, 32 St Heliers Bay Rd, Auckland.
“These poems are full of Ulysses-like cartographic wanderings through the byways of inner-city Auckland, creating purely localised, truly New Zealand fairytales..” — Vivienne Plumb
Events featuring brief writers on or around National Poetry Day 2017 include:
The Divine Muses XIV Poetry Reading (Auckland)The Divine Muses will bring together a mix of emerging and established poets to celebrate National Poetry Day 2017. Free event.
Who: Michael Giacon, C. K. Stead, Simone Kaho, Paula Green, Vana Manasiadis and Siobhan Harvey. Annual Emerging Poets Competition judged by Maris O’Rourke.
When: Friday 25 August, 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Where: St Paul Gallery, St Paul Street, Auckland CBD
Waiheke Song and Poetry Thing proudly presents a Love Jam 2017. $20 waged, $10 unwaged.
Who: Rata Gordon, Sophia Johnson, Sue Fitchett, Michelle Chote and others.
When: Saturday 26th August, 6.30-8.30pm
Where: Waiheke Library, 133/131 Oceanview Rd, Oneroa, Waiheke Island
Reservations recommended, contact Kathyvoyles@gmail.com
Poets from Fast Fibres Poetry 4 and open mic. Entry $5.
Who: Piet Nieuwland, Olivia Macassey, Aaron Robertson, and many others.
When: Sunday 27 August 1.30pm – 4.00pm
Where: Kings Theatre, 80 Gillies Street, Kawakawa
Poets from Mākaro Press. Free entry.
Who: Mary Cresswell, Harvey Molloy, Lindsay Pope, Janis Freegard, Tim Jones, Maggie Rainey-Smith, Keith Westwater, Pete Carter, Peter Stuart, Robyn Cooper, Helen Rickerby, Julie Hanify, Peter Rawnsley, Robin Peace, John Howell
When: Friday 25 August, 1.00pm-3.00pm
Where: Wellington Central Library, Victoria Street, Wellington.
Poets reading from Manifesto Aotearoa: 101 Political Poems edited by Philip Temple & Emma Neale. Free entry.
Who: Nick Ascroft, Mary Cresswell, Anahera Gildea, Liang Yujing, Keith Westwater.
When: Friday 25th August, 12.00-1.00pm
Where: Unity Books Wellington, 57 Willis Street, Wellington
Poets from IIML Best NZ Poems. Free entry.
Who: Nick Ascroft, James Brown, John Dennison, Adrienne Jansen, Bill Manhire, Bill Nelson, Claire Orchard, Kerrin P Sharpe, Oscar Upperton, Tim Upperton, Airini Beautrais, Marty Smith and Ashleigh Young.
When: Monday 21 August, 12.15-1.15pm
Where: Te Papa Marae, Te Papa, Wellington
Gala evening hosted by the Otago-Southland NZ Society of Authors. $5, booking essential, contact Kay Mercer library@dcc.govt.nz
Who: Victor Billot, David Howard, Peter Olds, Fiona Farrell, Liz Breslin, Sue Wootton, Jenny Powell, Kay Cooke, Brian Turner, Jillian Sullivan. Bill Martin on Piano.
When: Friday 25th August, 5.30pm
Where: Dunningham Suite, Dunedin City Library, 230 Moray Place, Dunedin
Who: Author Ted Jenner. Introduction by Scott Hamilton.
When: Wednesday 16 August, 5.30 pm
Where: Auckland Central Public Library, Whare Whananga (Level 2), Auckland
New collection of poems and prose poems from the author of The Gold Leaves and Writers in Residence and Other Captive Fauna.
“It is a labyrinthine house of language with many rooms that Jenner inhabits and what he finds there is never less than (ordinarily) surprising and provocative.” Michael Harlow, Landfall
Who: Author David Lyndon Brown. Speakers include Olwyn Stewart, Tony O’Brien, Tim Leath
When: Thursday 27 July, 5.30 pm
Where: Albion Hotel – downstairs function room, 119 Hobson Street, Central Auckland.
White City is a collection of short stories set mostly in and around Auckland’s Albert Park.
‘No booze, no nothing for a week,’ I told her. ‘Just you and me and the good air and the sun and the sea.’
I can still see her curled up on that bed, the sound of the waves coming in through the window, peacefully sleeping like a little girl. We only lasted four days, but it was the best four days of my life.
Now Melissa’s fucked. We don’t get together so much. She’s too busy working the parlours for white.
“Brown treats his characters with clear-eyed generosity, but never condescension. They are often resourceful though lacking in resources, and tender, if tenuous, connections are made between characters that are not firmly connected to the mainstream grid.”
Brief is an independent print journal based in New Zealand - a space for new writing: interesting, experimental, adventurous, challenging, alternative, and exploratory.
Looking for a copy of brief 56? If you don’t get one from us, you can find brief at the following retailers: Unity Books Auckland, Vic Books Wellington, Unity Books Wellington, Volume One Nelson, Unity Online.