Welcome!
Ovidian is a collaborative collection of visual poetry, written and curated by Jo Ward.
Jo hopes to create a visual form of poetry that feels approachable and restful, opening up a space to contemplate the natural world and the materiality of language itself.
A Quiet Sorcery is Ovidian’s first print release. This beautiful cloth-bound book features Jo’s poetry alongside breathtaking imagery by photographers and artists from around the world. Contributors include Marieke Verdenius, Lydia Harper, Isa Johanna Aleven, Annemieke Boots, Sophie Brioudes, Caroline Cameron, Sara Kraus, Saskia Saunders, DJ Shiflet, and Domonique Wiseman.
Jo and Bosco at home in Kupidabin, meaning ‘place of possums’ in the Waka language.
Jo Ward is an Australian writer living in Kupidabin (Samford Valley, Queensland).
While working on a PhD in Literature, Jo developed a debilitating movement disorder called cervical dystonia. Eventually, she withdrew from her studies and turned to creative writing as a therapeutic practice. In 2019, she created Ovidian: a collaborative visual poetry project. Much of her poetry grows out of her experience living with chronic pain and explores the transformative power and limits of words.
Jo’s poems have recently appeared in Griffith Review, Island online, Australian Poetry Anthology 2023, and the Newcastle Poetry Prize Anthology 2023. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, First Class Honours and a University Medal from the University of Queensland.
“The visuals are essential. They bestow upon my words inexpressible warmth, vibrancy, movement, texture, substance.”
Ovidian is a collaborative creation. Jo’s words are brought to life through the visual artistry of Marieke Verdenius, Lydia Harper, Isa Johanna Aleven, Annemieke Boots, Sophie Brioudes, Caroline Cameron, Sara Kraus, Saskia Saunders, DJ Shiflet, and Domonique Wiseman.