We are very pleased to announce the upcoming release of the latest edition of The Menteur, our literary and arts magazine. Founded in 2012, the magazine is edited and produced annually by postgraduate students at the University of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture.

During these challenging times, we have seen art, literature, music, and drama come to life in unexpected ways and into our lives via new channels. For many over the last year, virtual gallery tours, performances, and live readings have offered a sanctuary, providing either a moment of enjoyable solitude, or the ability to share an experience with others.

It therefore seemed fitting that this year’s edition of Le Menteur would come to encompass this culturally shifting landscape. For our theme, Art Re-wired, we asked our contributors to reflect on how the nature of connection and collaboration, along with our sources of inspiration, have been redirected after being so abruptly uprooted when social contact went out the window.

In the this year’s edition you will find stories that highlight the absurdity and the joys of the human condition. Peaks of isolation are correspondingly met with consolation, and the deepest sorrows serve to heighten the eventual celebrations. Our theme, Art Rewired, features work that engages or challenges ideas/dichotomies of solitude and interconnectivity felt during the pandemic. How is a world pushing against social contact rewiring our definition of connection and collaboration? The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition.

Sneak peek of ‘Abicere’ – Rebecca Rayner

The Menteur Launch

The Menteur‘s launch will be taking place on Saturday, 5 June, 2021 at 7 pm (CET – Paris Time) and is the closing event of our annual Postgraduate Festival taking place from 1-5 June (see more about the other events in the festival here). The virtual launch will reveal the magazine for the first time and include performances of some of the pieces in this year’s edition. Please see the programme overview below and you can join at this link.

A digital version of the magazine is also now available on Issu here.

Sneak peek of  ‘The Bigger Picture’ – Wendy Kirkwood

The Menteur Launch Programme

• Introduction by Professor Frances Guerin
• Menteur Team Q+A
• A Touch of Pink by the group Realma with introduction by its singer/songwriter Ariadna
• Lockdown, Disability, and Creativity – an Interview with Ayesha Chouglay conducted by Jessica Rose.
• Inhale/Exhale – film screening with Introduction by filmmaker Michèle Saint Michel
• Renga – video poem with an introduction by poet David Dykes
• Reading by poet Allison Wittenberg