IAN ROBINSON 1934-2004
Bibliography
Poetry
Accidents, London (Oasis Books), 1974. 120 copies, 1-20 signed.
Short Stories, Kingston upon Thames (Court Poetry Press), 1978.
Three, London (Tapocketa Press), 1978.
Maida Vale Elegies, with drawings by Ray Seaford. Feltham (S Editions), 1983.
The Invention of Morning, with cover illustration by Robinson. Bradford (Redbeck Press), 1997.
Prose
"Histoire Naturelle" in London Magazine Stories 8. London Magazine Editions, 1973, pp. 82-91
Fugitive Aromas, Higham Ferrars (Greylag Press), 1979. 150 copies, 1-40 signed.
Obsequies, with illustrations by Robinson. Bradford (Blind Lion Books), 1979.
Blown Footage, Croydon (X Press), 1980.
Delayed Frames, London (Oasis Books), 1985.
Dissolving Views, with illustrations by Robinson. Feltham (S Editions), 1986.
Journal, with introduction by Philip Crick. Budleigh Salterton (Interim Press), 1987.
A World Elsewhere, with illustration by Ray Seaford. London (eidolon Press), 2002.
How Do You Spell Bl..gh?, with
illustrations by Stanley Engel and Ray Seaford. Bradford (Redbeck
Press), 2002.
Joint authorship with Ray Seaford
Censored Mistletoe, with drawings by ‘Friedrich Seifert’. Ostensibly by Eugen Dörfla and F. Seifert, translated by Freddie Sail; in reality by Robinson and Seaford. Feltham (S Editions), 1980.
26½ Things, with illustrations by Seaford. London (Oasis Series 101), 1996.
Thunder on the Dew, London (Oasis Books), 2000.
Artwork
The Glacier in the Cupboard, with introduction by Robert Vas Dias. London (S Editions/ Permanent Press), 1995. Drawings.
Landscapes - Ten Variations on a Theme, London (Oasis Books), 2001. Drawings.
2nd ed. Raunchland Publications Online, 2002.
Theoremes, Turin (visual editions),
2001. Collages, copies I- 35 signed.
Documentary
An interview in ANGEL EXHAUST 4 (May, 1981)
An interview in Wolfgang Görtschacher’s Contemporary Views on the Little Magazine Scene, Poetry Salzburg, 2000, pp.157-98.
Biographical Notes
1934. Born July 1, only child of William Norman Robinson, a Civil Servant, and Edna Doris (née Baker, daughter of the Music Hall artist Anchor Baker), living in Heston, Middlesex.
1939. Family moves to Lampton, Middlesex.
1942-4. Moving round relatives in the North and South.
1945-7. At Colet Court School.
1947-53. St Paul’s School. Starts writing poetry, later prose. Wins the A.M.Cook Essay Prize (1951). Helps revive The Debator (founded by G.K.Chesterton and E.C.Bentley). Starts amateur boxing (114 bouts of which he wins 107); also athletics, which a later injury at university was to prevent him developing.
1953-5. National Service in RAF. Russian course (Civil Service Interpreter’s Exam) then service in Germany as radio-telephony direction finding operator. Leaves with the rank of Junior Technician.
1955-8. Studies at Oriel College, Oxford, leading to a BA in Eng. Lang. and Lit.
1958-61. Asst. English Master at Tulse Hill Comprehensive; also boxing coach.
1959. Marries Heidi Armbrüster.
1960-65. Works at Unity Theatre, acting and directing.
1961-5. Works for various weeklies of the National Trade Press as reporter and sub-editor; develops an interest in typography, lay-out and design.
1963. His son Max is born.
1965-7. Part-time lecturer in Complementary Studies at Kingston Art College and editor of its Art Annual Review. Founds a drama group that kicks off with the first performance in England of "Ubu Roi" and performs other experimental works there and elsewhere until 1972.
1967. His daughter Ira is born. Appointed full time lecturer in European and American Lit. and Art History at Kingston College.
1968. Founds the student magazine FLYING ANCHOVY (later a quarterly news sheet until 1971) – the beginning of association with Stanley Engel.
1969. Founds OASIS magazine (first series 1-5, until 1971).
1970. First publication by Oasis Books (A Smattering of Paradogs, Stanley Engel’s mixed media final year ‘dissertation’). Edits the last independent issue (12) of EXPRESSION.
1971. Elected a member of the Academic Board when the Art College becomes a Polytechnic. Member of the Arts Centre and Festival Committee until 1974.
1972-4. Art editor of ATHENE (Society of Education Through Art).
1972-6. Edits OASIS 2nd series (6-16) with associate editors Antony Lopez (11-18), John Stathatos (reviews, 11-14) and Ray Seaford (art ed., 11-14).
1974. Graphic work exhibited at the Folkestone Arts Centre. Joint Secretary (with Stanley Engel) of the Assoc. of Little Presses. Founds student magazine ISSUE (9 numbers).
1975-91. Senior Lecturer in the School of Liberal Studies at Kingston. Elected member of the General Council of the Poetry Society and Chair of its Publications Committee.
1976. Shares in the mixed media show "Concrete Jungle" at the Consort Gallery, Imperial College.
1977-9. Deputy Chair of the Poetry Soc. OASIS 3rd series (work by individual authors, 17-30, until 1980), with John Stathatos helping on the business side.
1980. Founds I.P.D. with John Stathatos, Britain’s first small press distribution service (until 1988). Visits Sweden and helps Bernt Danielsson with his Permanent Press in Stockholm.
1981-2. Edits TELEGRAM (1-4), initially with John Stathatos. OASIS 4th series (31-4) serves as an occasional A6 house journal for Oasis Books until 1988.
1982. Resigns from the Poetry Soc. Visits US and Canada, including a period in Vancouver to research West Canadian Surrealism in literature and art.
1983-91. Co-founds NINTH DECADE (renamed TENTH DECADE in 1990 for #s 12-14). This incorporates TELEGRAM, Robert Vas Dias’ ATLANTIC REVIEW and Tony Frazer’s SHEARSMAN. Ray Seaford is design editor until 1989.
1989-2000. OASIS 5th series published at regular two-monthly intervals with Yann Lovelock as occasional Associate Editor.
1991. Early retirement from Kingston. His first daughter Liz (born unknown to him in Rome in 1955 and now living in Boston, Mass.) contacts him.
1993-6. Takes over editorship of PALPI from Bob Cobbing. Joins the Soc. of Fulham Artists and exhibits in their joint shows.
1995. The Glacier in the Cupboard compiled by Robert Vas Dias and funded by friends to celebrate Ian’s 60th birthday.
2000. Successful operation for prostate cancer.
2001-4. OASIS 6th series published quarterly with Yann Lovelock as joint editor until 106.
2004. Sudden death of a pulmonary embolism at the beginning of May following a few months of declining health.
Compiled by Yann Lovelock.