Ron Kolm
Encyclopedia
Ron Kolm is an American
poet
, editor, activist and bookseller, based in New York City
. Kolm came to New York in 1970 and got a job at the Strand bookstore, where he worked with Tom Verlaine
and Patti Smith
.
During this period he became friends and colleagues with a group of writers who would come to exemplify the "Downtown" scene of the 1970s and 80s ("Downtown" in this context means anything below Fourteenth Street in Manhattan). In 1985, Kolm, Bart Plantenga, Mike Golden, Max Blagg
and Peter Lamborn Wilson
founded the Unbearables, a loose collective of poets and artists based on the precepts of Hakim Bey, as set forth in his seminal book, TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zone
). They took their name from a short story by Mike Golden. Their first reading series was at the Life Cafe in the East Village. They later read or performed their work at the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church in the Bowery, Gathering of Tribes and the Bowery Poetry Club. Their usual targets are literary cliches, which they attempt to deconstruct with humor.
Kolm has been one of the editors of their anthologies: Unbearables (1995), Crimes of the Beats (1998), Help Yourself! (2002) and The Worst Book I Ever Read (2009) all published by Autonomedia. Kolm's own publications include The Plastic Factory (1989, Red Dust), Welcome to the Barbecue (Low-Tech Press, 1990) and Rank Cologne (P.O.N. Press, 1991). His work can also be found, along with the other Unbearables, in the Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (Thunder's Mouth Press, 1999), and in Up Is Up, But So Is Down: New York's Literary Scene, 1974-1992 (New York University Press, 2006). (In the introduction to Up is Up..., editor Brandon Stosuy thanked Kolm for giving him access to his archives.) He has collaborated on a novel, Neo Phobe, written with Jim Feast (Unbearable Books, 2006).
Historian Robert Siegle describes Kolm as "an editor and facilitator for magazines and presses as well as a writer of fiction and poetry" who "carried boxes of little magazines around to bookstores, passed around copies of new work, and connected people" in general, noting that "wherever we look along the networks that hold together the diverse creative talents who constitute this cultural revolution
, we find Kolm."
The Ron Kolm papers (some 35 cartons of correspondence, notebooks, objects, chapbooks, signed first editions and runs of literary magazines) were purchased by the Fales Library
at New York University
, where they now reside. The Finding Aid to the Ron Kolm Papers is available online: The Ron Kolm Papers
The Unbearables, who presently include writers Jim Feast, Carol Wierzbicki, Bonny Finberg, Carl Watson, Thaddeus Rutkowski, Jill Rapaport, Mike Topp, Sparrow (American poet)
, Merry Fortune
, Hal Sirowitz
, Michael Carter, Shalom Neuman and many others, continue to publish and perform in a variety of configurations and venues.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, editor, activist and bookseller, based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Kolm came to New York in 1970 and got a job at the Strand bookstore, where he worked with Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine
Tom Verlaine is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman for the New York rock band Television.-Biography:...
and Patti Smith
Patti Smith
Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
.
During this period he became friends and colleagues with a group of writers who would come to exemplify the "Downtown" scene of the 1970s and 80s ("Downtown" in this context means anything below Fourteenth Street in Manhattan). In 1985, Kolm, Bart Plantenga, Mike Golden, Max Blagg
Max Blagg
Max Blagg is a British-born poet, writer, and performer from England. Blagg has performed in New York City since 1971. He is currently a Visiting lecturer in poetry at The New School in New York City .-Life:...
and Peter Lamborn Wilson
Peter Lamborn Wilson
Peter Lamborn Wilson , is an American political writer, essayist, and poet, known for first proposing the concept of the Temporary Autonomous Zone , based, in part, on a historical review of pirate utopias...
founded the Unbearables, a loose collective of poets and artists based on the precepts of Hakim Bey, as set forth in his seminal book, TAZ (Temporary Autonomous Zone
Temporary Autonomous Zone
T.A.Z.: The Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism is a book by anarchist writer Hakim Bey published in 1991 by Autonomedia...
). They took their name from a short story by Mike Golden. Their first reading series was at the Life Cafe in the East Village. They later read or performed their work at the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church in the Bowery, Gathering of Tribes and the Bowery Poetry Club. Their usual targets are literary cliches, which they attempt to deconstruct with humor.
Kolm has been one of the editors of their anthologies: Unbearables (1995), Crimes of the Beats (1998), Help Yourself! (2002) and The Worst Book I Ever Read (2009) all published by Autonomedia. Kolm's own publications include The Plastic Factory (1989, Red Dust), Welcome to the Barbecue (Low-Tech Press, 1990) and Rank Cologne (P.O.N. Press, 1991). His work can also be found, along with the other Unbearables, in the Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (Thunder's Mouth Press, 1999), and in Up Is Up, But So Is Down: New York's Literary Scene, 1974-1992 (New York University Press, 2006). (In the introduction to Up is Up..., editor Brandon Stosuy thanked Kolm for giving him access to his archives.) He has collaborated on a novel, Neo Phobe, written with Jim Feast (Unbearable Books, 2006).
Historian Robert Siegle describes Kolm as "an editor and facilitator for magazines and presses as well as a writer of fiction and poetry" who "carried boxes of little magazines around to bookstores, passed around copies of new work, and connected people" in general, noting that "wherever we look along the networks that hold together the diverse creative talents who constitute this cultural revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
, we find Kolm."
The Ron Kolm papers (some 35 cartons of correspondence, notebooks, objects, chapbooks, signed first editions and runs of literary magazines) were purchased by the Fales Library
Fales Library
New York University's Fales Library and Special Collections is located on the third floor of the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library at 70 Washington Square South between LaGuardia Place and the Schwartz Plaza, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It houses nearly 200,000...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, where they now reside. The Finding Aid to the Ron Kolm Papers is available online: The Ron Kolm Papers
The Unbearables, who presently include writers Jim Feast, Carol Wierzbicki, Bonny Finberg, Carl Watson, Thaddeus Rutkowski, Jill Rapaport, Mike Topp, Sparrow (American poet)
Sparrow (American poet)
Sparrow is a poet who has been published in The New Yorker, The Quarterly, and The New York Times. He has also produced several books of poetry with a number of poetry organizations, including the St. Mark's Poetry Project. He served as editor for the literary journal Big Fish. Formerly working...
, Merry Fortune
Merry Fortune
Merry Fortune is a contemporary American poet, musician, social activist and conservationist. She is a former editor of The World and former coordinator of the Monday night reading series of the St. Mark's Poetry Project. She is an editor of Pagan Place, an arts magazine...
, Hal Sirowitz
Hal Sirowitz
Hal Sirowitz is an American poet.Sirowitz first began to attract attention at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe where he was a frequent competitor in their Friday Night Poetry Slam...
, Michael Carter, Shalom Neuman and many others, continue to publish and perform in a variety of configurations and venues.
External links
- The Fales Library Guide to the Ron Kolm Papers
- Unbearables.com – official website of The Unbearables
- http://www.autonomedia.org