Happy first birthday, Public. Open. Space.

It’s been a year since the good folk at Fremantle Press released my debut poetry collection, Public. Open. Space., into the world. And what a year its been…

“Kate Larsen’s [poetry collection] is one of the most interactive poetry volumes I have ever read,” editor Georgia Richter said at its Walyalup/Fremantle launch. “It invites participation and it invokes reflection. It is deeply political, and it points to the invisible web of the virtual community that connects us as much as our actual community.”

“Public. Open. Space. is not always an easy read because the world’s not always an easy place to comprehend,” author Laurie Steed added. “Instead, this book is essential in every sense of the word. It’s a space where resistance is vital, rather than futile. It’s a space where as the reader, you are encouraged to both fight and to take flight.”

At the Naarm/Melbourne launch, cultural leader Esther Anatolitis noted that: “Larsen’s work rehumanises the institutions that shape our lives – and she does this radically, as well as quietly, sensitively. There’s a tentativeness to her approach, offering a great deal of context. There’s a reluctance to centre herself and her own experience, ever conscious of the privilege of being the beneficiary of ongoing colonisation. There’s a gentleness there – and then there’s bold incitement to revolution! ‘Burn it down’! ‘Blow it up’! ‘Start again’!”

And author Jennifer Mills observed at the Tarntanya/Adelaide launch that: “Kate’s work is of the internet, but it also lives fully on the page here. A book, Kate’s introduction tells us, that directly questions ‘the choices we make about when to stay silent,’ its silences are always loaded, and there is a profound awareness of the need for a critical eye that reads into, between and around the texts and truths we’re offered, online and off. The space in Public. Open. Space. is essential, and the use of white space in these pages is always meaningful. Kate’s poems address us directly and ask us again and again where we stand. Ask us to take a stand.”

I am also grateful for all those who’ve taken the time to review my little green book.

“Larsen reminds us that the online world is not a smooth experience of endless flow. Her ‘tinylittlepoems’ are the great command-option-escape/control-alt-delete of our scrolldoms: we pause all processes, reflect and reimagine where we can put our energies right now. Error messages as visual poems; fake news in real tweets; security and privacy and mediated intimacies. ‘The system is corrupt.’ ‘Prove your humanity.’ Larsen re-sensitises us to the enormity of meaning in these words, these world-upturning barn-burning machine-learning words.” – ArtsHub

“Through a fusion of evocative language and thought-provoking imagery, Kate Larsen crafts a compelling exploration of contemporary issues that captivates and challenges readers. The potential of Public. Open. Space. to ignite conversations and kindle empathy makes it a significant addition to the realm of contemporary poetry.” – Writing WA

‘Thought-provoking, insightful, heartfelt … this is poetry at its best. A cultural commentary that gives back to the reader in spades. Laughter, tears, a-ha moments galore. A must-read.’ – Goodreads

Happy anniversary, Public. Open. Space. I’m so grateful that this was a dream that came true, and to all those who helped make that happen.

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