Liam Jacobson - Poet

📸Gabi Maffey

Liam Jacobson is a poet from Kāi Tahu who was raised in Manurewa, Tāmaki Makaurau. Their debut pukapuka, ‘Neither’, will be released in September 2023! Published by Dead Bird Books, this collection of poems indicates a milestone in Liam’s haerenga (journey) to authorship.

During their school years, Liam pursued the arts through drawing, devised theatre, and writing. Theatre taught Liam to uncover the beauty in their everyday surroundings, while noticing the complexity of things. Their acute curiosity prompted rigorous investigations of the spaces where contrasting contexts meet. Fascinated by people and places, Liam savoured opportunities to observe the “inbetweenness” of every path they walked.

Recently, Liam attended a Matariki Wānanga at Basement Theatre, where they spent four days with a group of emerging Māori artists who were allowed to “relax and receive”. Liam was stunned by the generosity of this space, inspired by the leadership of Tuākana who guided them, and invigorated by the vastly different expressions of Māori they connected with in this peaceful environment. After being paid, fed, and held by their ancestors, Liam was unquestionably re-energised.

Liam sees themself as a gatherer and a weaver who traverses various timelines through words. They thrive within an ecosystem of diverse makers who wield distinct gifts. Alongside writing poems that are derived from their own stories, Liam writes about art that is created by others. To Liam, this feels like a natural transition. Responding to visual art through poetry is yet another avenue to remaining in conversation with intersecting realities.

Liam grounds themself in eclectic communities of artists. These pockets of creative individuals inspire Liam to take novel routes to familiar places. In order to arrive in themself, their whakapapa, and their creativity, Liam strives to honour those internal pillars. But there is freedom and fun in the way that they choose to express them.