Bella Bravo is the author of a short story collection, The Unpositioned Parts, published by Monster House Press, and the playwright of As Bad As They, performed by Sitcom Theatre. They co-curate readings and events, namely SYZYGY and UCDP. Their writing can be found on or in Social Text, Spoil by Hi-Lo Press, POIESIS, NY Tyrant, Abstract, Commune, Driftless, Peach, Mask, Limestone, W the Trees, and Monster House.
✎ Below are links to writing, interviews, contact info, and events.
writing
“Once Upon a Time” ~ a book review
“Six Microcosmographies” ~ stories
“One Microcosmography” ~ a story
“Five Microcosmographies” ~ stories
“A Short Passage” ~ a book review
“Los Angeles, 2017” ~ a story
“Monuments” ~ autofiction
“Sufferers of the World, Unite” ~ a book review
“The List” ~ an essay
Three Crises ~ short stories // review
As Bad As They ~ a play // Act 1, scene 1 & Act 1, scene 4
The Unpositioned Parts ~ stories
“Spirals” ~ a story
“Test Surfaces” ~ a story
“The Culvert” ~ a poem
“Public Figures” ~ a story
“Valiant Girls” ~ a story
Airport Axis ~ a play in one act
interviews
Conversation in two parts (1 & 2) with abolitionist researchers Zhandarka Kurti and Jarrod Shanahan on the George Floyd uprising and class and race in the United States today ~ August 14 & 21, 2020
Conversation with literary researcher Cody St. Clair about the political imaginary of the underclass during the Great Depression ~ June 30, 2020
Conversation with historian Asad Haidar and Cole Nelson about emancipatory politics and the limits that the George Floyd mass uprisings face ~ June 16, 2020
Conversation with filmmaker and anthropologist Elizabeth Povinelli about late settler colonialism and the figure of the Virus ~ June 2, 2020
Conversation with participants in the French gilets jaunes movement about memetic force ~ February 25, 2020
Conversation with poet Juliana Spahr about resistance arts and her book, Du Bois’s Telegram: Literary Resistance and State Containment ~ December 31, 2019
Conversation with anthropologist Nikola Garcia about the Chilean social explosion, chile despertó ~ November 19, 2019
Putty ~ June 28, 2018
Limestone Post ~ June 28, 2017
Mask Mag ~ June 20, 2017
Five Questions ~ February 12, 2017
contact
FB ☻ IG ☻ TW ☻ isabellahbravo[at]gmail.com
future events
something coming in early 2021
past events
7:30 PM
First SYZYGY reading
w Rose Wehrenberg, WLS, and Bree Jo’ann and Malikah Briah w art responding to their work by Meg Hart, and by music by Cridders Cridders
SYZYGY is a community-centered, expression-diverse reading and performance series based in Bloomington, Indiana. The series joins local, regional, and continent-wide writers & artists in the vital ritual of getting together to figure out how to get together,* in celebration of the we hidden in and by the singular I.
The series reimagines the model of literary events that presumes that the performance is the sole work of the artist rather than the collective power that brings so much joy to bear. By hosting events in community spaces, SYZYGY tries to bring sometimes-partitioned forms of artistic expression into conversation, collaboration, & conjunction with daily life, in hopes of course contributing to some sort of collective wisdom-in-process.
The word syzygy combines syn- (in Greek “with, together with”) and zyg- (“yoke”), and roughly means in English: connection even if in opposition.
SYZYGY is supported by the BUEA Zone Arts Grant.
*adapted from Fred Moten
Opening Reception for “Somewhere Along the Line”
The FAR Center for Contemporary Arts, Pictura Gallery
6:30 pm
Artist talk by Joshua Dudley Greer with a reading by local Bloomington poets and writers; Ross Gay, Essence London, Francesca Hanson, WLS, Bella Bravo, & janan alexandra will be reading original poems and stories in conversation with the photographs in Joshua Dudley Greer’s “Somewhere Along the Line”
RE:PUBLIC — Epiphany
the launch event for a special print edition of Abstract curated by Justin Brown and A Bowden
3:00 PM
Hoy Polloy, 2121 East 10th Street, Indianapolis (map)
Sex & Sensuality reading and music w Alex Smith, Kristen Lucas, E Brady, Steve Marino, and Nico Rojas
Blockhouse Bar, 205 S College Ave, Bloomington
at 7 PM
Room Project, 6513 Woodward Avenue, Detroit
w Katie Nowinski, Rosechard Wehrenberg, Michelle Gottschlich, and WLS ~
7 pm
December 6, 2018
POETIX READING
w Ross Gay, Noah Baldino, Caleb Milne, Austin Araujo, Francesca Hansen
816 west kirkwood ave, apt 2
around 7ish
August 26, 2018
SAFTA Reading Series with Richard Wehrenberg & Shane Dedman
Hexagon Brewing Co. in Knoxville, TN
@ 2pm
August 24, 2018
Nashville, TN
August 25, 2018
Reading with Shane Dedman, Hannah Neal, and Richard Wehrenberg, Jr.
in Atlanta, GA
May 18, 2018
Teen Writing Workshop on Writing & Food Autonomy
Monroe County Public Library ~ Bloomington, IN
@ 4pm
Reading with Wendy Spacek, Michelle Gottschlich, A. Bowden, Alex Hodge and Mary Luncsford, and DJ ~OLASWAVE
321 E Wylie St, Bloomington, IN
@ 8pm
Teen Writing Workshop w Michelle Gottschlich
Rhino’s Youth Center, 331 S Walnut St, Bloomington, Indiana 47401
@ 4pm
Omen Amen Release: reading with V, Morgan Elridge, A. Bowden, Yalie Kamara and Bree Robinson, music by Bad Psychic, Yalla Stockings and Midwife, and visual installation by Miles Grimmer
Blockhouse Bar
@ 7pm
Left Bank Books ~ Seattle, WA
Reading w Morgan Eldridge, Magpie and Dana. Hosted by Em.
@ 8pm
July 8, 2017
Presentation on “Narrative Structures in the Anthropocene”
Commie Camp ~ dm for add
@ 10 am
Reading with Tyler Meese, Nikki Levine, and Joshua James Amberson
Mother Foucault’s ~ Portland, OR
@ 8pm
Reading with music by the Mooks and Baby Ghosts
Vague Space ~ Salt Lake, Utah
@ 8pm
As Bad As They
The Blockhouse ~ 205 S College Ave, Bloomington, IN
@ 9 pm EST
premier of play featuring actors from Sitcom Theater and Optical Popsicle, soundscapes by Jon Meador, sets by Alan Crenshaw, costumes by Morgan Eldridge, Props by Wendy Lee Spacek, graphic design by Erin K. Drew and Richard Wehrenberg, and simulcast by Anna Teeter-Powell.
click here for archive of this performance’s simulcast
Benefit for All Options Pregnancy Resource Center
Extra-Special*Plus*a-Surprise Reading
The Root Cellar ~ 108 E Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN
@ 8 PM
w Emily Corwin, Dan “Sully” Sullivan, Jasper Wirtshafter, Michelle Gottschlich, Mobe, Eszi Waters, T.K. Williams, and music by Doozie, Spacer, and Yalla Stockings
May 13, 2017
Panel discussion on Zines/ Zine Culture
Used Kids Records ~ 2500 Summit St, Columbus, OH
@ 2pm
Panel squished between every introvert’s favorite activity ~> tabling from 11am – 5pm
Bloomington Zinefest 2017
The Void ~ 1607 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN
with Ross Gay, Hannah Thompson, and Bree Jo’ann
@ 4:30
For the annual Trans Prisoner Day of Action– initiated by Marius Mason
Boxcar Books ~ 408 E 6th St. Bloomington, IN
with V, Nadja, Liza, Hannah Thompson and Avery Smith
@ 6:30
Future Absence Tour____October 7-17, 2016____with Richard Wehrenberg, Jr.
No Place Studios: 1164 S Front St, Columbus, OH
with Glenn Gox, Danielle Gagliano, V
The Salon: Athens, OH
with Jay Riley, Madeleine Toerne, and Morgan Eldridge
Big Idea Bookstore: 4812 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
with Asa Critterden and Average Joey
Peach Mag Fall Reading
Dreamland: 387 Franklin St, Buffalo, New York
with Noah Falck, Paige Melin, Woogee Bae
Fort Tender: Philadelphia, PA
with Cynthia Schemmer, Harmon Butcher, Robyn Campbell
Molasses Books: 770 Hart St, Brooklyn, NY
with Andrea Arrubla, Gustavo Rivera, Peter Bd – Hosted by Conor Messinger
@ 8 PM
October 11, 2016
Case Library, Room 560, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
with Colgate University O’Connor Creative Writing Fellows
@ 4:30
Random Access, 117 Smith Hall, Syracuse University, NY
with Sean D. Henry-Smith, Anna Mebel, Walker Rutter-Bowman – Hosted by Jonathan Aprea
@ 8 PM
Detroit, MI
Detroit Art Book Fair at Trinosophes
Salt & Cedar with Leigh Gallagher
Scribble’s Coffee: 237 N Water St. Kent, OH
with Mallory Whitten and Emma Shepard
@ 8 PM
Wick Poetry Center of Kent State University wrote a review of the event.
The Blockhouse: 205 S College Ave, Bloomington, IN
with Theon Lee and Mariah Ivey, DJ Little Town, DJ Evan L and DJ Ginnypep
@ 9 PM
Mac’s Backs-Books On Coventry: 1820 Coventry Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH
with Nicolette Polek, Jordan Castro, James Payne and Alex Mussawir
@ 7pm
The Salon: 75 Grosvenor Athens, OH
with Cindy Crabb of Doris publishing, James Payne, Marie Swartz, and Kelsey Kerr
@ 5:30
The Root Cellar Lounge: 108 E Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington, IN
with Emily Corwin, Richard Wehrenberg, James Payne, and Alex Mussawir
@ 9:00
Midwest Release of Nothing Series
Rainbow Bakery: 4th & Rogers St, Bloomington, IN
with Tyler Meese, Bethy Squires, Michael Barton, and Yalie Kamara
@ 7:00
April 23, 2016
Release Party for The Unpositioned Parts
The Void: 1607 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN
The premiere of Airport Axis, a play featuring Michael Barton, William McHenry, Miles Grimmer and Janelle Beasley of Sitcom Theatre
Readings by Alex Mussawir, Danielle Gagliano, Glenn Cox
Psychogynecology / Pretty Pretty Prison Tour
The Void: 1607 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN
with Dave Watters, Morgan Eldrige, Wendy Lee Spacek, Richard Wehrenberg, Jr., Kate L’Heureux, Harvey Pekar, Hive Mind, and Super Famicom
Public Empathy Tour____March 10-20, 2016____with James Payne
March 20, 2016
No Place: 1164 S. Front Street, Columbus, OH
with Glenn Cox, Lillian Currens, Dan Dogliani, Paige Früchtnicht, Alex Mussawir, Destiny Strudwick, and Ania Urbanski
Belleville Arts Collective: 761 Franklin Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
with Amanda Collins & Morgan Erina
Molasses Books: 770 Hart St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
with Andrea Arrubla, Darcie Wilder, Andrew James Weatherhead, Andrew Duncan Worthington, and Denise Zevach – Hosted by Tom McDonald & Peter Bd
Anthology 13 Reading Series
Granoff Center for the Creative Arts at Brown University
Studio 1, 154 Angell St. Providence, RI 02912
with Carolyn Bergonzo, Diane Exavier, Martim Galvao, Yoni Greenwood, Thalassa Raasch, Ada Smailbegovic, and Alex Toy – Hosted by Ilana Fogelson and Cary Thomas
A video of the Anthology 13 reading is available here. I begin at 57:00.
Kafein café-bar: 1429A Bishop St., Montreal, Quebec H3G-2E4
with Lizzie Hanley, Nicholas Tyrakis, DJ PULSUM
March 13, 2016
Textual Potluck in Montreal, QC (invite only)
8-11: 233 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2E2
with Sophia Katz, Julie Mannell, Annie Webber, Kai William Millson-Taylor
March 12, 2016
The Tower: 281 Cannon St. E Hamilton, ON L8L 2B4
March 11, 2016
DittoDitto: 1548 Trumbull St. Detroit, MI 48216
with Matthew Milia – Hosted by Maia Asshaq
Printtext: 652 E. 52nd St. Indianapolis, IN 46205
with Mel Coyle, Jenn Marie Nunes, Edwin R. Perry – Hosted by Wendy Lee Spacek
December 17, 2016
Womb/Water: Installation and Readings
With Bethy Squires, Ezsi Watters, Liza Milhander, Michelle Gottschlich, V.
Installation by Morgan Eldridge
Soft River Reading Series
Milktooth: 534 Virginia, Indianapolis, IN 46205
with Ross Gay, Nick Kostas Kratsas, Elly Rasile, Richard Wehrenberg, Jr. – Hosted by Wendy Lee Spacek.
May 22, 2015
Book Release of Soften
Rose Hill Cemetery
with Soften‘s author Erin Elizabeth Wehrenberg, Michelle Gottschlich, Richard Wehrenberg Jr., Morgan Eldridge, Kate L’Heureux
@ 7pm
February 15, 2015
Benefit for Boxcar Books and Pages to Prisoners
The Back Wash: 201 E. 2nd Street, Bloomington, IN
With Ross Gay, Catherine Bowman, Adrian Matejka, Ciara Miller, Harlan Kelly, Erin Elizabeth Wehrenberg, Ife-Chuden Oputa
@ 5:30
Art opening for Alyssa Noelle Mayhern & Claire D. Woods
Excess Space: 114 1/2 S Grant St, Bloomington, IN
with Ben Steele, Bethy Squires, Kelly Thomas, Chris Clavin
(3) Reading
Excess Space: 114 1/2 S Grant St, Bloomington IN
with Alex Mussawir, Danielle Gagliano, Michelle Gottschlich, Richard Wehrenberg Jr.
Soft River Reading Series
General Public Collective: 1060 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN
with Erin K Drew & HomeGrrlProbz – Hosted by Wendy Lee Spacek
⇡
Gracious photo by Anna Powell Teeter with a huge dinosaur camera as a sudden storm rolled in. Bloomington 2018.
