Epic comic poem to be launched in Whanganui

A page spread from The Carpet Rake featuring iconic illustrations by local artist Michael Haggie.

The Carpet Rake, an “epic” comic poem, will be launched in Whanganui on Friday, March 1, at the Space Studio & Gallery. Set in New Zealand in the 1960s and 1970s, it evokes a vanished world and a colourful cast of characters.

Its story summits in a new home with all mod cons, in a marital crisis over a wall-to-wall shag pile. The writing was already on the wall for the suburb. The future came to the cul de sac.

The book is a collaboration between writer and former Whanganui resident and teacher Charles Bisley, local artist Michael Haggie, and designer Dan Bisley. Charles and Michael met as part of a group of friends that included Joanna Paul.

In those days, Joanna had a small press — the Settlement Press — which published a poetry collection written by Charles. Some may remember Charles and his family from the year they lived at the Ahuahu Ohu where he was the teacher. Charles is also the literary executor of Joanna Paul’s estate

Almost 40 years after they met, Michael and Charles decided it was high time to kick up their heels and collaborate on an illustrated book that celebrated the back in the day.

The dynamic to and fro of collaboration happened last year. The poem, completed the year before, was now enhanced by images, by the configurations and patterns of these and the text, to become a stylish book.

The poem will entertain and speak of a familiar, if strange, world.

The launch of The Carpet Rake will be held on Friday, March 1, at Space Studio & Gallery, including an animated reading by the author and complimentary refreshments. Entry is free, but for catering purposes we request you RSVP your attendance to sarah@spacestudiogallery.co.nz

Copies of the book will be available to purchase, alongside a large exhibition of illustrations from the book by Michael Haggie.