A Fantastic Affair for New Contrast‘s Fiftieth (With Videos)
The Book Lounge was abuzz last week with the city’s literati, who gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of South Africa’s longest-running literary magazine, New Contrast. The current editor, Hugh Hodge, hosted the evening, which was attended by well over a hundred guests. The programme included a variety of speakers and a selection of poetry from the anniversary edition and the delicious feast was sponsored by Leopard’s Leap and Tandym Print.
Nancy Baines, who later married Gerald Gordon, a board member of the original Contrast, recalled the mood and spirit of 1960. Approaching 90, this feisty member of the old guard, spoke of the early days and the rotating editorship that led to such administrative blunders that the job was thankfully handed back to Jack Cope on a permanent basis. “While all this was going on, we were all busy getting divorced, married, and pregnant, which is perhaps why our minds were rather scattered in matters mundane,” she said to a warmly appreciative audience.
Jack’s son, Michael Cope, recalled the personalities involved and the sestiger shenanigans. He concluded with a poem for his daughter, Sophie, who has by all accounts inherited the family poetry gene.
Geoffrey Haresnape recalled the substantial challenges of keeping going in the atmosphere of repression. Without his wife, Lesley, who provided administrative support, Contrast would have sunk without a trace, he said. He spoke of a vital memory involving a late night phonecall from a “measured” voice. “Would you like to publish an excerpt from my latest novel?”
The speaker was JM Coetzee and the novel was Life and Times of Michael K. “Would I indeed?” said an exuberant Haresnape. This represented a huge coup for the journal, as numerous appeals to Coetzee to publish his work had gone unanswered previously. By the end of his tenure, he and Lesley were exhausted, and he delighted to be able to hand over to the poet, Douglas Reid Skinner, who was currently editing the small poetry journal, Upstream. In the event, the two journals merged to form New Contrast.
Watch videos of New Contrast editors past and present – and children of editors past and present – reminisce about editions gone by:
Karin Schimke’s compelling performance of Ingrid Jonker’s “Korreltjie Sand” reanimated the spirit of the early journal, as did Tom Eaton’s poignant rendering of “The Dove Apologises to his God for Being Killed by a Cat”. This was written by Anthony Eaton, Tom’s father – who was then a 17-year-old wunderkind. It appeared in the first issue of the magazine.
Motoring photographer, Danie van Jaarsveld, a newcomer to the world of literary endeavour, held sway with a hilarious but deadpan account of his literary beginnings. Immersed in the world of motor sport, his interest in poetry was an uncomfortable secret. “I couldn’t tell the motor macks and raleigh drivers I was writing poetry – they’d think I was nuts!”
He told of his efforts to find fellow writers with whom he could talk Poetry with a capital P. After several brushes with outfits that praised his “brilliant” efforts on one hand, all the while taking substantial cheques with the other (including a poetry workshop that cost more than an afternoon at Teasers and was less satisfying), he finally mailed a poem to New Contrast. In Hugh Hodge he found the wise and generous mentor he’d been unable to source either through the internet or on the race track.
All the readers contributing to the issue brought their own special energy to the podium. A wide range of moods were invoked, including Ken Barris‘ reflection on vision in “Cataracts”, Rosemund Handler’s understated and witty “Man Contemplates Wife”, Paul Mason’s observations on love, the political sensitivities of Consuelo Roland and Kelwyn Sole, and Martha Evans’ tender and introspective “High Noon”. This reporter read the poems of out-of-towners Crystal Warren, Kobus Moolman and Vonani Bila, all poetry editors who have supported and mentored poets in the journals they have respectively edited.
Here are clips from all the readings:
A call was made, following the tradition of the local “Off the Wall” poetry readings hosted by Hodge and Schimke. The “Bell Jar” was passed around the room and a pleasing collection of R780 was achieved. This will go to providing subscriptions for school libraries, unable to afford the magazine. Editor Hugh Hodge said that many schools have poorly stocked libraries and gift subscriptions (or part contributions) will be gladly received. Hodge mentioned that he received some fifty submissions of writing per week. “If just 10% of those writers actually subscribed to the magazine, it’s future would be secured!”
With thanks to Helen Moffett for assistance with this report
Apr
