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Jan Kemp (writer)

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Jan Kemp

MNZM
At the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair
At the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair
BornJanet Mary Kemp
(1949-03-12) 12 March 1949 (age 75)
Hamilton, New Zealand
Occupation
  • Poet
  • short story writer
  • memoirist
EducationUniversity of Auckland (MA)
SpouseDieter Riemenschneider

Janet Mary Riemenschneider-Kemp MNZM (born 12 March 1949) is a New Zealand poet, short story writer, memoirist and public performer of her work. Her writing career began in the late 1960s and early 1970s and has continued into the 21st century, with a number of published collections; her poems often focus on personal and intimate subjects. Her poems also reflect her international travel experiences, including periods spent teaching English as a foreign language.

In addition to her poems, Kemp has also published 21 short stories - Spirals of Breath, (Tranzlit 2019), two novellas - The Cook, the 'Consul' & the Crazyman and Ginkgo (Tranzlit, 2019) and two memoirs - Raiment (Massey Press, 2022) and To see a World (Tranzlit, 2023). She has recently put together her 10th collection of poems - Dancing Heart (forthcoming). As of 2008 she lives in Kronberg im Taunus, Germany.

Early life and education

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Kemp was born in Hamilton on 12 March 1949.[1]: 10  The family moved to Morrinsville before she was one,[1]: 11  and subsequently to Auckland when she was 13, where she attended Pakuranga College.[1]: 90  It was at Pakuranga College that Kemp was encouraged in her poetry writing by an English teacher, who she describes as her first mentor.[2]

Kemp graduated from the University of Auckland with a Master of Arts in English in 1974. She gained a Diploma in Teaching from Auckland Teachers' College in 1972, and an RSA Certificate, British Council, Hong Kong (Teacher of English as a Foreign Language) in 1984.[3][4] In 1974, while studying at the University of Auckland, she and two other members of the English department collected and published the first cassette series of recorded New Zealand poetry.[5][6] She spent a year teaching primary school before beginning her master's degree.[2]

Career

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Poetry

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Kemp began contributing to the poetry magazine The Word is Freed (usually abbreviated to Freed) in the late 1960s.[1]: 196 [7][8] The magazine had been established in 1968 by a group of poets at the University of Auckland; Kemp was one of the few women who performed poetry with the group,[7] and one of only two women to have poems accepted by the magazine.[9] She was also the only woman poet whose work was included in the 1973 anthology The Young New Zealand Poets edited by Arthur Baysting.[7][8][10]

Kemp's first volume of poetry, Against the Softness of Women, was published in 1976 by Caveman Press. Kemp says in her memoir Raiment (2022) that she had written all the poems and submitted them to the publisher by 1972, but that he "stalled on releasing it for some years, as he wasn't certain a book solely by a woman poet would sell".[1]: 211  Academic Janet Wilson, writing in The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature, notes that despite Kemp's prominence as a woman poet at this time, "she has never been an overtly feminist writer"; many of her poems focus on the self and the "illuminations that the challenge to discover intimacy can bring".[10] In 1977, her poems were included in Private Gardens, an anthology of New Zealand women poets edited by Riemke Ensing; Peter Simpson described Kemp's poetry as standing out for its "erotic directness and delicacy".[11]

In winter 1979, Kemp toured New Zealand as part of the 'Gang of Four' poetry tour, with Sam Hunt, Alistair Campbell and Hone Tuwhare.[7][12] Once again the only woman, Kemp was described in the programme published by the New Zealand Students' Art Council as "the youngest — and prettiest? — of the four poets on tour".[13] During the tour they gave public readings, visited schools and universities, and visited Parliament.[14][15]

Kemp's poems are often influenced by her world travels. Between 1974 and 1978 Kemp travelled overseas in the Pacific Islands, Australia, Canada and Malaysia. Her second collection, Diamonds and Gravel (1979) contained a number of the poems that she wrote on these travels.[2] In the 1980s, she worked as a teacher of English as a foreign language at the University of Papua, Papua New Guinea (1980–1982), the University of Hong Kong (1982–1985), and the National University of Singapore (1985).[4] In 1980, she was the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council Poetry Representative at the South Pacific Festival of Arts in Papua New Guinea.[4] The Other Hemisphere (1992) was described in the New Zealand Review of Books as "very well-travelled writing, crossing continents to base itself in foreign universities, making affectionate allusions to other writers".[16]

In 2001 her poem "Elephant Riding" was selected for inclusion in Best New Zealand Poems.[17] Her collection Only One Angel was also published in this year, and included illustrations of angels by Claudia Pond Eyley. Emma Neale, reviewing the collection, noted that "love is a guiding principle" of Kemp's poems, "an absolute that is as tangible as a rock or a tree", and said that Kemp's work is "very often expressive, lyrical, written from a fount of feeling".[18]

Her 2006 collection Dante's Heaven was translated into German by her husband Dieter Riemenschneider under the title Dantes Himmel, and released as part of the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair. It was also translated into Italian by Aldo Magnanino as Il Cielo di Dante.[7] A review in The New Zealand Review of Books called it a "strong collection — dense, varied, occasionally arch, more often perceptive and affecting".[19]

In 2012 her collection Voicetracks was published as a joint German and New Zealand publication. It is based around Kemp's life as a New Zealand expatriate in Germany, features Kemp's own photos as illustrations, and references the life and ideas of philosopher Walter Benjamin.[20][21] Cliff Fell in Landfall says Kemp "seems to be inviting us to drill down into deeper mysteries, into events of the past that the places she depicts were once setting to, events which — as Benjamin suggests — can never, and perhaps should never, be fully understood". He concludes that the collection is a "collection of accomplished lyrics, on the whole, but it's an unsettling read, as though the poems haven’t quite settled into their new landscape".[20]

In Poetry New Zealand, issue 48, Kemp discusses her poetic practice:[22]

I still hear a line or lines or just a phrase in my head and have taught myself to listen, to let the words keep on coming; I chant them aloud, to remember them, say if out walking; when I can get to paper and pencil, I write them down. Later, I type them up into a text and spend time finessing them. I do the thinking work then, once I've seen what I've said or am trying to say. A poem can take years or a moment to write itself. The music or cadence of the line and its rhythm are of utter importance to me—the speaking voice of the poet in me who, if I'm lucky, sometimes speaks up.

Other work

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Kemp was the main founder of the Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive, launched in 2004.[23][24] The archive is housed in the Special Collections at the University of Auckland Library and in the Alexander Turnbull Library, and features recordings of 171 New Zealand poets reading their work, and is accompanied by text files, photographs and bibliographical notes about the poets.[25] Together with Jack Ross, Kemp has edited several collections of New Zealand poetry in performance, including Classic New Zealand Poets in Performance (2006), Contemporary NZ Poets in Performance (2007) and New New Zealand Poets in Performance (2008).[7]

In 2022, Kemp published Raiment, her memoir of her life up to age 25.[1][26] Stephanie Johnson praised Kemp's treatment of her university years, "a rollcall of many of the most well-known poets, artists and scholars of that generation", and Kemp's gift in "the stringing together of images to create an imagined or recalled world".[27] Wendy Parkins, reviewing the memoir for Landfall, said Kemp "writes frankly and with an appealing humility about her uncertainties and false starts in both writing and relations", but also noted she would have liked Kemp to discuss in more detail what she thinks now about her life choices and why she became a poet.[28] Steve Braunias in Newsroom called it "small but perfectly charming", and his review concludes:[26]

With its sunny disposition, its bright idealism, and its neatly detailed settings (hippies in the bush in Titirangi, Friday night drinks hosted by Karl Stead at a bar on Constitution Hill), Raiment is a fascinating document of a young life lived in thrall to love and language.

Honours and awards

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In 1979, Kemp was awarded a New Zealand Literary Fund writer's bursary of $4,000.[29] In 1991, Kemp was awarded a PEN-Stout Fellowship at Victoria University of Wellington.[4]

In the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours, Kemp was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to literature.[30]

In 2008, Kemp was a Writer in Residence at the Chateau de Lavigny, Switzerland.[31]

Personal life

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Kemp's first marriage was at age 20 and did not last; she was divorced by her mid-20s.[1][26] In 2007, Kemp moved to Germany with her husband, Dieter Riemenschneider; they had lived together in Frankfurt previously from 1994 to 1999.[32][17] As of 2008 they live together in Kronberg im Taunus; Kemp is a member of the church choir.[33][34]

Selected works

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Poetry

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  • Contributor to The Young New Zealand Poets (1973), edited by Arthur Baysting[35]
  • Against the Softness of Woman (1976)[36]
  • Contributor to Private Gardens: An Anthology of New Zealand Women Poets (1977), edited by Riemke Ensing[37]
  • Diamonds and Gravel (1979)[38]
  • The Other Hemisphere: Poems (1992)[39]
  • Ice-breaker Poems (1980) (pamphlet)[40]
  • Five Poems (1988)[41]
  • Only One Angel: Poems (2001)[42]
  • The Sky's Enormous Jug — Love Poems Old & New (2002) [43]
  • Dante's Heaven (2003), translated into German by Dieter Riemenschneider and published as Dantes Himmel (2012);[44] translated into Italian by Aldo Magnanino and published as Il Cielo di Dante (2016)[45]
  • Nine Poems from Le Château de Lavigny (2010)[46]
  • Voicetracks (2012)[47]
  • Jennet's Poem: Wild Love (2012)[48]

Prose

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As editor

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  • New Zealand Poets Read Their Work (1974)[50]
  • Classic New Zealand Poets in Performance (with Jack Ross, 2006)[51]
  • Contemporary NZ Poets in Performance (with Jack Ross, 2007)[52]
  • New New Zealand Poets in Performance (with Jack Ross, 2008).[53]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Kemp, Jan (2022). Raiment. Massey University Press. ISBN 978-1-991151-14-8.
  2. ^ a b c "Poems from unborn part of her mind". The Press. 28 July 1978. p. 15. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Poet's Homecoming Marked By New Book". Scoop Independent News. Otago University Press. 18 December 2001. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d International Who's Who in Poetry 2005 (13th ed.). London: Europa. 2004. p. 839. ISBN 185743269X. OCLC 264476170.
  5. ^ "N.Z. poets on record". The Press. 2 December 1974. p. 19. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. ^ "N.Z. poets on record". The Press. 30 April 1975. p. 11. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Jan Kemp". Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b Newton, John (22 October 2014). "Page 6. The 1970s and the 'Freed' generation". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  9. ^ Hall, Bernadette (Summer 2002). "Down memory lane". New Zealand Review of Books (52). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  10. ^ a b Wilson, Janet (2006). "Kemp, Jan". In Robinson, Roger; Wattie, Nelson (eds.). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195583489.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-1917-3519-6. OCLC 865265749. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  11. ^ Simpson, Peter (4 February 1978). "Poetic riches from N.Z. women". The Press. p. 17. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  12. ^ Hunt, Janet (2010). "Fellow artists: Jan Kemp, Alistair Campbell and Sam Hunt". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  13. ^ Newton, John (22 October 2014). "Poster for Four New Zealand Poets tour, 1979 (1st of 4)". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  14. ^ "Four poets to visit Parliament". The Press. 26 June 1979. p. 6. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Poets to visit Christchurch". The Press. 3 July 1979. p. 7. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  16. ^ Cooper, Ronda (Spring 1991). "A pre-occupation with family". The New Zealand Review of Books (3). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Jan Kemp". Ōrongohau | Best New Zealand Poems. 2001. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  18. ^ Neale, Emma (Summer 2001). "Fruit 'n nut". The New Zealand Review of Books (56). Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  19. ^ Bramwell, Murray (Spring 2006). "Bubble jets of yearning". The New Zealand Review of Books (75). Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  20. ^ a b Fell, Cliff (1 June 2013). "Each Chamber was a Stanza of Dreams". Landfall Review Online. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  21. ^ Horrocks, John (Winter 2013). "Remembering". The New Zealand Review of Books (102). Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  22. ^ Reid, Nicholas (March 2014). "Jan Kemp: Background" (PDF). Poetry New Zealand. 48. Puriri Press & Brick Row: 8.
  23. ^ Locke, Terry (2007). "Review: Sounds like Us". Journal of New Zealand Literature (25): 174–177. JSTOR 20112451. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive". aonzpsa.blogspot.com. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  25. ^ Kemp, Jan; King, Edmund; Ross, Jack (2002–2004). "Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive records". Aotearoa New Zealand Poetry Sound Archive.
  26. ^ a b c Braunias, Steve (6 June 2022). "Oh dear, again". Newsroom. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  27. ^ Johnson, Stephanie. "Raiment by Jan Kemp". Academy of New Zealand Literature. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  28. ^ Parkins, Wendy (1 August 2022). "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman". Landfall Review Online. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  29. ^ "Poet given bursary". The Press. 4 August 1979. p. 10. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  30. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2005". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 6 June 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  31. ^ "Residence". Château de Lavigny. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  32. ^ Kemp, Jan (23 July 2022). "How poet Jan Kemp found her voice at 60 after moving to Berlin". Stuff. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  33. ^ "10 Questions with Jan Kemp". Massey University Press. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  34. ^ "Jan Kemp: pioneering NZ poet shares new memoir Raiment". Radio New Zealand. 30 April 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  35. ^ Baysting, Arthur (1973). The young New Zealand poets. (Auckland, tr. Hong Kong): Heinemann Educational Books. OCLC 488437109.
  36. ^ Kemp, Jan (1976). Against the softness of woman. Dunedin, N.Z.: Caveman Press. ISBN 090856225X. OCLC 2615756.
  37. ^ Ensing, Riemke, ed. (1977). Private Gardens: An Anthology of New Zealand Women Poets. Dunedin: Caveman Press.
  38. ^ Kemp, Jan (1979). Diamonds and gravel. Wellington, N.Z.: Hampson Hunt. OCLC 11119728.
  39. ^ Kemp, Jan (1992). The other hemisphere: poems. Washington, DC: Three Continents Press. ISBN 089410716X. OCLC 813598181.
  40. ^ Kemp, Jan (1980). Ice-breaker poems. Auckland: Coal Black Press. OCLC 973579118.
  41. ^ Kemp, Jan; National Museum Art Gallery (Singapore) (1988). Five poems. Singapore: National Museum lArt Gallery. OCLC 153298680.
  42. ^ Kemp, Jan (2001). Only one angel: poems. Dunedin, N.Z.: University of Otago Press. ISBN 1877276170. OCLC 49199896.
  43. ^ Kemp, Jan; Denny, John; Eyley, Claudia Pond; Puriri Press (2002). The sky's enormous jug: love poems old & new. Auckland, N.Z.: Puriri Press. ISBN 0908943229. OCLC 50862009.
  44. ^ Kemp, Jan; Riemenschneider, Dieter (2012). Dantes Himmel. Mainz am Rhein: Verlag André Thiele. ISBN 9783940884909. OCLC 812608145.
  45. ^ Kemp, Jan; Magagnino, Aldo (2016). Dante's heaven = Il cielo di Dante. OCLC 1032591785.
  46. ^ Kemp, Jan; Riemenschneider, Dieter; Puriri Press (2010). Nine poems from Le Château de Lavigny. Auckland, N.Z.: Puriri Press. OCLC 1029662330.
  47. ^ Kemp, Jan; Tranzlit (Firm) (2012). Voicetracks: poems 2002-2012. Auckland [N.Z.]; Kronberg im Taunus [Germany]: Puriri Press ; Tranzlit. ISBN 9780908943388. OCLC 796786926.
  48. ^ Kemp, Jan; Puriri Press (2012). Jennet's poem: wild love. Auckland, N.Z.: Puriri Press. OCLC 796466167.
  49. ^ "Landfall 120". The Press. 5 March 1977. p. 15. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  50. ^ New Zealand poets read their work., Waiata Recordings, 1974, OCLC 946802545
  51. ^ Ross, Jack; Kemp, Jan (2006). Classic New Zealand poets in performance. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland University Press.
  52. ^ Ross, Jack; Kemp, Jan (2007). Contemporary New Zealand poets in performance. Auckland, N.Z.: Auckland University Press. ISBN 9781869403959.
  53. ^ Ross, Jack; Kemp, Jan (2008). New New Zealand poets in performance. ISBN 978-1869404093.
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