Writings

The Pick of the Week by Cameron Woodhead in The Age & Sydney Morning Herald
The Celestials is a short historical novel about two Chinese siblings, Li Chen and his sister Li Ping, sent to the ‘New Gold Mountain’ in the colony of Victoria. It opens in Guangzhou, where the family have avoided most of the disruption caused by the Opium Wars and the bloody Taiping Rebellion. They are cultured and well-educated, finding refuge in Tang Dynasty poetry, Chinese satire and Buddhist sutras. The second British bombardment of the city changes things decisively, and the children are spirited to Melbourne (Li Ping dressed as a man). Marginalised on the goldfields, they forge an alliance with impoverished Irish settlers who have links to Ned Kelly and his gang of bushrangers.
Ian David Roberts has written a narrative of great beauty and economy of language. The author wears his erudition lightly and invests the Chinese perspective on this period of history with cultural depth and moving authenticity.‘The Celestials is a marvel – radical and contemplative, adventurous and moving.’ Barry Hill, poet and historian‘The Celestials is profound meditation on the quality of human pilgrimage through the landscapes of China and Australia. An epic and rich narrative. Vitality, power, pathos and keenly humane observation, resonances which touch and elucidate the world of contemporary Australia.’ Richard Mills AM, composer and Artistic Director, Victorian Opera‘The Celestials is a love song to this country. As a Eurasian woman I was deeply moved.’ Vanessa Maria Bates, playwright‘Writing of heart-felt delicacy miraculously turns one of Australia’s best-known episodes on its head with radical reimagining, yet drawn from intriguing research of the historical record. The Celestials is a revelation in its stillness as it recounts well-known events of outrageous violence and rebellion.’ Jonathan Mills, composer and director of festivals in Edinburgh and Melbourne

Ian David Roberts is a novelist, poet and freelance writer. His most recent work, The Celestials, was The Age and Sydney Morning Herald Fiction Pick of the Week in November 2023.His essays, short stories and articles have been published by Allen and Unwin, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald and Neo Kosmos. He cowrote a weekly column for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald for nine years with advertising executive Harold Mitchell.Ian is a member of the board of Bangarra Dance Theatre. Previously Ian served as CEO of the Harold Mitchell Foundation, General Manager of the Melbourne Festival, General Manager of the Geelong Performing Arts Centre, and as Interim CEO of Arts Centre Melbourne in 2014.Ian’s board appointments have included terms as Chair and Deputy Chair Annamila First Nations Foundation, Chair of the Victorian Australia Day Committee, Deputy Chair of the Melbourne International Film Festival, and as Deputy Chair of the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art. Ian has also served as a Board Director of Arts Centre Melbourne ( The Victorian Arts Centre Trust) and a member of the Major Performing Arts Board of the Australia Council for the Arts. He served at the President of the Queenscliff Football and Netball Club.He was formerly Chair of Playing Australia, the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals, the Australian Performing Arts Centres Association and the Victorian Association of Performing Arts Centres and has held board positions with the Victorian Council for the Arts, The Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Cultural Infusion, Australian Entertainment Industry Employers Association and Melbourne International Jazz Festival and the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board.Ian has worked as an exhibiting photographer. His first solo exhibition “Plottings” February 2006 was at 45 Downstairs Flinders Lane Melbourne.