Ali Power and Emily Skillings review by Jessie Branch

CHASM Gallery of Brooklyn lives in a light room with a backing wall entirely made of windows. Tasteful track lighting graces the high ceilings and an entirely hip vibe encompasses the space. Ali Power of Rizzoli and Emily Skillings of Belladonna Books were reading some of their works; with walls adorned by the paintings and craftings of artists Genevieve Reynolds and Belem Lett. These two Australians' work focused on framing; both in the ballooning frames surrounding the pastel-toned works of Lett and in the geometric shapes perfectly enclosed on a canvas by Reynolds.

            Ali Power read first in a calmly fierce voice about privilege, relationships, therapy, and working to find a higher meaning in life. She commented on the world of fashion and its ridiculousness at the Kentucky Derby in a poem about spring, a standout line "spring song; so many ugly hats" expressed her familiar, whimsical tone. Throughout the evening this playful edge crept into her poetry. She said; "I was wearing the 'this is not what I want' look", which disclosed the strains of being a woman attempting to 'fit in' while maintaining some sense of self. After tackling the lighter side of things, she moved towards her search for a deeper meaning. One could take in this confessional side of her poetry; and it was captivating to hear her take on self-discovery.

            Emily Skillings read next, with a cool ease about her voice that brought the listener into her intimate world. She was intense, active, and used repetition to enunciate certain phrases and words. One piece, "Canary" stood out with its cutting litany; the word 'canary' was used in the place of other words to provide a social commentary. One line, "The officer shot the unarmed canary on a canary I used to walk down every day" was absolutely heartbreaking; the use of such a beautiful bird in the place of such a repulsing subject was disquieting. Later, "Oh, that canary feels so good--just like that", a sensual take on unusual words was common in her poetry.

            The works of Ali Power and Emily Skillings went brilliantly together; both took a light take on dark topics while maintaining an air of intimacy and calm. They both used unusual adjectives and satirical images to bring the reader into their world, and both spoke of excess and commented on social norms of today's society.