Nightboat Books Launch Photos

Below are few photos from last night's Nightboat Books new publications launch at Callicoon Fine Arts on the Lower East Side. Many thanks to everyone who came out to hear and celebrate the release of Gracie Leavitt's first full collection of poems, Monkeys, Minor Planet, Average Star, which features a self-portrait by the late Emma Bee Bernstein on its cover (and a moving tribute poet, "Reverse," to Bernstein inside), and my translation of Hilda Hilst's Letters to a Seducer, which Nightboat published in conjunction with Brazilian publisher A Bolha Editora. 

Joining us were two friends and fellow writers, Claire Donato and Reggie Harris, who each read an incisive poem in the spirit of the books. We had a good crowd by the time the event began, and it was even fuller when artist Thomas Kovachevich, whose show is currently underway at Callicoon, presented his poem-without-words, a slow, remarkable, profound piece involving autonomously curling lens paper on blue fabric amidst a bed of water.  It felt especially fitting given the work already presented. Many thanks to everyone who came out and thanks also for buying the books!

I urge you to check out Thomas's exhibit at Callicoon if you're on the Lower East Side; it runs until March 30, 2014. Also, if you can, please do purchase (or urge your local public, college or university library to order!) copies of Gracie's collection and the Hilst novel.

At Callicoon before the reading
(poet & publisher Stephen Motika
at center) 

Some of the attendees before
the reading 

Stephen introducing the event

Thomas's collaborator
in the event pouring the water 

The laying out of
the azure fabric sheets

The collaborator places the
pieces of lens paper on the fabric

The paper begins its dance 

More paper 

A bearded, bowtied blogger
reading from the Hilst

(photo by C) 

Making a point of some
sort about Hilst
(photo by C)

Another photo of yours truly
and the full crowd
(Photo by Andrew Blackley--thanks!)