About

Kirsty Allison was born in London in 1975. This is her debut novel.

She is the incoming editor of the literary and arts quarterly, Ambit, founder of Cold Lips, and her band with Gil De Ray is called Vagrant Lovers (Martyn Goodacre’s Berlin-based Das Wasteland Records are releasing their first physical release shortly, and Michael Chestnutt from Snapped Ankles is currently completing the final tracks on their debut album) – this is an extension of her poetry, having supported the good Doctor John Cooper Clarke, Thurston Moore, and opening Weatherall’s Convenanza Festival in 2017.  She began DJing with Irvine Welsh and Howard Marks whilst editing and writing widely in the media and hosting on television as a teenager.  She has written a book for Red Gallery, several collections of poetry, and has picked up awards for radio documentary, independent film and copywriting,   Her poetry films have shown in the Tate.  She is working on further books and currently lives in Peckham.

“She combines the cerebral with the carnival,” The Sunday Times.

BOOKS + PUBLICATIONS

PSYCHOMACHIA novel, Wrecking Ball Press – May 24

NOW IS NOW, poetry since 2007, Cold Lips Press, 2020 – with a foreword by Malik Ameer Crumpler

COLD LIPS 01, 02, 03, 04 and the prototype for 05.

Foreword to Mariane Faithfull Icons series by Kris Needs (published by Cold Lips)

Contribution to US edition of SMEAR, ed. Greta Bellamacina, 2020

Contribution to Haunted, Lit Sisters, 2019

THE IDENTITY SPECTRUM – POWER, POLITICS, POETRY and the MOVEMENT OF MINDS, Capa International Education Occasional Publication.

UNEDITED 02, hand-stitched, edition of 17 (photos by Carl Fox)

BLOOD STAR, New River Press Anthology, 2019

20 editions of hand-sewn collection of lyrics to Children of the Burning Sun, 2018

Contribution SMEAR, New River Press 2nd Edition, 2018 

Diary contributions: Our History of the 20th Century, ed. Travis Elborough, Michael O’Mara Books, 2017

Contribution NEW RIVER PRESS ANTHOLOGY 2017 

UNEDITED hand-sewn poetry edition of around 100, 2016 (artwork by Luke McLean)  

Time, LAZY GRAMOPHONE, 2013

Contributions  of fiction and poetry: 3:AM, AMBIT, OPIATE, ILLUSTRATED APE, BOOK CLUB BOUTIQUE, FOGGY PLASMA

NON-FICTION – MAKING SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING, Red Gallery, London, 2014

JOURNALISM IS BELOW  >>>

  

WRITING, EXHIBITIONS, PERFORMANCES

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Kirsty had her first exhibition of paintings in a show on Portobello Road as a teenager.

CONTRIBUTION: Pure Has Nothing To Do With Clean, Paul Sakoilsky, Cedric Christie, Geraldine Swayne, Gavin Turk etc group show, Angus Hughes Gallery, October 2018.

Cameo in Grace Rider, the Kelli Ali feature film and album project:Ghost Driver, completing 2018.

DOUBLEPLAY, collaboration with GIL DE RAY, premiere in NYC, 2018. 

LIMINALITY, group show, GALLERY 46,  August 2018

2018: POETRY PERFORMANCES: PIKES, IBIZA. 8MM, BERLIN. RUIGOORD, AMSTERDAM. BAR SATURN, NEW ORLEANS.  LONDON: NEW GUMS.  SHACKLEWELL ARMS. PAPERDRESS VINTAGE. GALLERY 46. UNDERGROUND ENGLAND. SANCTUM HOTEL. LOCK TAVERN. CURIOUS ARTS FESTIVAL. STOKE NEWINGTON LITERARY FESTIVAL.

Various poetry films, 2015-2017.  

2017:  BERLIN: WHISKY + WORDS.  PARIS: VARIOUS. LONDON: BOOKSLAM. FACTORY DE JOIE. WINDMILL, BRIXTON. COLD LIPS II launch, April 22nd: supporting Doctor John Cooper Clarke with Dave Barbarossa (Adam Ant/Bow Wow Wow). DOC N ROLL FESTIVAL HOST.  BYLINE FESTIVAL.  GRINYGOG FESTIVAL. OUTSIDERS FESTIVAL. Women In Art discussions at Shoreditch House x 3: Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven, Sharon Kivland, & more

2016: 40 years of Punk Fashion, 100 Club/ Converse with Viv Albertine, Skinny Girl Diet. Doc N Roll Festival, Arthouse N8 with Nina Antonia. Fashion & gender identity with Louie Banks at Shoreditch House.  Residency with St Leonards Horses. Cultural Traffic, Colchester Arts Centre. Unedited tour, November, with film: Geoff Nicholson at the Horse Hospital, Outsiders Art Festival, Stoke Newington Music Festival, In Yer Ear. Kulture performance with Daniel Avery remix of Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve, Soho Radio.  Band of Holy Joy soundscape collaborations, Resonance FM.  DCHA, University of Brighton, Our Machines with Vesna Petresin, panel host.  DOC N ROLL FESTIVAL HOST

SLEEVE NOTES, 12×12, group show, ArtFix, Soho, London. 2015.

October 2015, founder of Sylvia Plath Fan Club, anti-literary night.  Performers include: Sue Webster (Tim Noble & Sue Webster), Gail Porter, Lisa Moorish, Murray Lachlan Young, Dave Randall, Dave Barbarossa, Rushika Wickramasinghe, Stuart McKenzie, Mat Lloyd, Tim Wells, Emily Harris, Sogul Sol, Nina Antonia & many more.

Host and founder: HEARTS VS MINDS series of discussions exploring tech, creativity and industry, Searcy’s Urban Coterie at M Hotel, Shoreditch.

KISS ME CLEOPATRA: pop film for Kelli Ali, 2013, starring transgender superstar Munroe Bergdorf. Co-ordinated the launch event at W. 

MY FAMILY IS A NIGHT OUT ALONG BRANCHES IN A STARLIT GLADE, Tate Britain (curated by Tracey Moberly), Label, 2012 

AUTOMATONIKA E-GO E-ROTIKA DEMONIKA, Tate Modern, 2011. 

AGENT TAMI FLEW October 2008 – June 2009.  KATALOGUE group show. Sao Paulo, Oscar Niemeyer Museum. 

Art donations: VOGEU, ArtBattle/Stretch, 2016. Medicins Sans Frontieres: CHANEL FIGHT 2015.  TV EYE, Art Saves Lives, 2012. BILLY WAS A DANCER, Muck Rock 2008

SLACK ALICE FILMS: various projects inc. TANTRIC TOURISTS.  Co-producer. Awards include: East End Film Festival Best First Feature 2008, Kahuna Burger, Hawaii Film Festival 2009, Best Documentary, Mexico Film Festival, 2009, and other awards at Nevada, Fort Lauderdale and more.  Distributed by Independent.