By Jaz O'Donnell
An inspired
collaboration between two Wellington based friends, This must be the place is the almost accidental outcome of Annabel
Hawkins’ initially private lyrical wanderings. Combining poetry and images to create
a thoughtful and gently emotive end product, this compact book is a reflection
of the talent and vision these two young women possess. On her blog, the
initial space for her words, Hawkins wrote:
"My
premise was simple, and perhaps, in hindsight, I was writing to what I wanted
to read. Which were honest depictions in a language that was uncomplicated but
a way that was honest, and at times, fragile. They were frivolous, filled with
spelling mistakes, tense misuse and random line breaks. They were things I had
written with spare pencils on pieces of scrap paper."
When Hawkins linked one of her former
lecturers her blog, the latter responded with a book deal. Thus, the
foundations for This must be the place
were laid. The
difficulty came in transforming what was ‘essentially an online workbook’ into
a physical object, which is where designer Alice Clifford came on board. A tutor of design at Massey University and
a member of the International Society of Typographic Designers, Clifford’s
passion for words made her an obvious choice, with the pair’s close friendship
ensuring that the creative process was an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
The collection of poems in This must be the place speak of personal experience, with titles
such as Brother and To Alice, from Fiji – a poem written
from Hawkins to Clifford that explores enduring friendship and a comfort that
grows with time. As new and old places are explored, Hawkins’ poems takes us to
Thorndon Pool, down Salamanca Road, and to the back roads of Otaki,
interweaving memory and its sensation with emotion and ideas. At times
nostalgic, she explores the ever changing boundaries felt as one searches for
their own place in the world – wherever that may be:
"Nineteen
on Salamanca Road, and we flew. We flew – fur-jacketed moths in the night.
Clusterfuls of us on borrowed boards and in temporary clothes."
For only $30, support emerging creative local talent and get yourself a copy of This must be the place. Available from Unity Books and Vic Books. To order it online you can go here: http://www.makaropress.co.nz/buy-online/
Image 1. Cover of THIS MUST BE THE PLACE
Image 2. Annabel Hawkins (left) and Alice Clifford (right)
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