Monday 28 July 2014

Ihar Babkou

Out of 7 books published by Ihar Babkou three won particular attention of the reading public from Belarus and from beyond. His first book of poetry “Solus Rex” received Hliniany Viales (a Belarusian Literary Award set by the Society of Free Literature Men ) back in 1994. His novel “Adam Klakotski and his Shadows” (2002) has been translated into Polish and was short-listed for Angelus Literary Award in 2009. In 2012 Ihar received Zalaty Apostraf Award (set by literary journal “Dzejaslou”) for the best prose publication over 2011. His second novel “Kvilinka” became the laureate of Gedroyc Literary Award this year. The site of the Award offers a review of the book as well abstracts from it, together with the recent information on the author.
Another relevant review of the novel “Khvilinka” (compared with Шклатара, 2013, a novel by Artur Klinau) by philosopher Maksim Zhbankou can be found here (In Belarusian).
Ihar Babkou’s text about Belarusian literature today in Hungarian Review (in English) is available here.
Reflections upon his recent five books by Jan Maksymiuk (In Belarusian).
Audio and video records of the author (Ihar Babkou reciting poetry).
His texts have been translated into Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, German, English, and Hungarian. In 2008 two of his books were published in Polish – “Adam Klakocki” and “Krolewstwo Bialorus/ Kingdom of Belarus”

41 comments:

Vanesa Csengodyová said...

Pridávam odkaz na veľmi zaujímavé interview s týmto spisovateľom: http://www.instesw.ebox.lublin.pl/ed/0/babkou.html.en

Unknown said...

Práve v týchto dňoch (3. - 5.10.2014) sa koná v litovskom meste Kaunas významný kongres (the 4th International Congress of Belarusian Studies), na ktorom sa zúčastní aj bieloruský spisovateľ a filozof Ihar Babkou. Za svoju úlohu na tomto kongrese pokladá oboznámenie celej Európy s aktuálnou situáciou v Bielorusku, ktorá sa formovala posledných 25 rokov. Všetky svoje myšlienky, ktoré na kongrese prednesie sformuloval v plenárnej správe s názvom "Following locality: Belarusan intellectual history of modern times (1989-2014)". O tom, čo od kongresu očakáva, na čo sa zameriava vo svojej plenárnej správe, ale tiež o jeho postoji voči ukrajinskému konfliktu si môžete prečítať viac na:

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/10/04/ihar-babkou-russia-ukraine-war-put-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin.html

Unknown said...

The Jerzy Giedroyc Prize - jedno z najvýznamnejších literárnych ocenení v Bielorusku bolo tento rok udelené už po štvrtý raz. "Titul" najlepšia bieloruská kniha roku 2014 získala kniha "Minute: Three stories" od spisovateľa Ihara Babkou. Viac o tohtoročnom udeľovaní cien na:

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/06/04/ihar-babkou-won-jerzy-giedroyc-prize.html

Unknown said...

Interview s Iharom Babkou, v ktorom vyjadruje svoj názor ku klasickej i súčasnej bieloruskej literatúre a v ktorom načrte niečo i o svojej novej knihe:
http://www.sb.by/literatura/article/literaturnuyu-modu-diktuyut-bolshie-izdatelstva.html

Unknown said...

Ihar Babkou nie je len spisovateľom a filozofom, ale tiež lektorom na "Flying Univerzity" v meste Minsk. Pri príležitosti začiatku nového akademického roku na tejto univerzite poskytol EUROBELARUS rozhovor. V ňom napr. uvádza dôvody svojho odchodu z dvoch ďalších univerzít, na ktorých predtým prednášal a podáva bližší obraz o obsahu svojho kurzu s názvom "History of Belarusan thought: events, discourses, epistemes". Ako sám uvádza, náplňou tohto kurzu je okrem iného aj bližšie priblíženie konfliktu, ktorý momentálne prebieha medzi Ukrajinou a Ruskom. Viac o tom, akú úlohu podľa neho zohráva a môže zohrať v tomto konflikte bieloruská inteligencia, si môžete prečítať viac na:
http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/09/11/ihar-babkou-belarus-history-of-philosophical-thought-is-a.html

Unknown said...

Vybrané citáty z knihy Ihar Babkou - Adam Kłakocki i jego cienie

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2906179.Ihar_Babkou

Kristina Tapakova said...

Ihar Babkou was born in 1964 and graduated in philosophy at Belarusian State University in Minsk in 1986. He underwent internship training in London, Warsaw, Paris and Berlin. The winner of literary prizes: Hliniany Vielies (1992) and Zalataya Litara (2005). Author of poetry books Solus Rex (1991), A Hero of the War for Transparency(1998)andTofallasleep, to awake, to listen to the voices of fish (2009),the novel Adam Klakocki and his Shadows (2001), and books of essays The Kingdom of Belarus: Interpretation of Ru[i]ns (2005), The Philosophy of Jan Sniadecki (2002). Translated J. Joyce, J. D. Salinger, W. B. Yeats, P. Celan. In the 1980s, he participated in the first self-published publications, as well as in the first independent meetings in Minsk. He took part in relaunching the weekly Nasha Niva, creating a new non-soviet Belarusian culture. In 1995, he founded the publishing house “Euroforum”. He is the author and signer of Belarusian Declaration of Freedom. His works have been translated into Polish, Ukrainian, German, Czech and Hungarian.
http://www.hungarianreview.com/author/ihar_babkou

Unknown said...

6 authors were nominated for Jerzy Giedroyc Prize. The book “Minute: Three stories” written by Ihar Babkou was awarded as the best book in Belarusia in 2012.

First of all I would like to provide some details about the award. Jerzy Giedroyc Prize was established at the end of a 2011. Actually it's a price for the best prose book published in Belorusia in two genres: essay and poetical fiction.
Vladimir Njakľaev won the price in 2011.

During the ceremony which took a place in congress hall of thr Minsk hotel Victoria, writer and philosopher Ihar Babkou has received a cheque for 10 thausands € from Idea Bank. He said, he will spend money for good things but he also pointed out, that good things should be done quietly, not in front of the media.

At the very end I would like to mention two other writes who were awarded as well. Artur Klinau was awarded as the second best writer in Belarusia while Vintses Mudrou was awarded as the third one.
http://euroradio.fm/en/ihar-babkou-awarded-literary-giedroyc-prize

Andrea Jackuliaková said...

“Moment” is an existential story about self-reflection and search of self. The narrator guides the reader to a mysterious café where visitors don’t rush, but reflect on their lives and listen to their feelings. But something is going to happen.

More on: http://booksfrombelarus.net/?p=128

Unknown said...

Interview s Iharom Babkou o aktuálnej situácii v Bielorusku pod veľmi výstižným názvom "Kedy bude bielorusko-bieloruská vojna?". Ihar Babkou v ňom odpovedá na otázky týkajúce sa vnútornej jednoty Bieloruska ako krajiny najmä v súvislosti s tým, že bieloruský jazyk pomaly upadá do zabudnutia a v značnej miere ho nahrádza ruština. Jeho odpovede sú dôkazom toho, že nie nadarmo je považovaný za jediného optimistického bieloruského filozofa. V interview nie len že podáva hlbší pohľad na dôvody úpadku bieloruskej kultúry, ale tiež apeluje na širokú verejnosť a ukazuje možnosti, ako bieloruský jazyk a celkovo bieloruskú kultúru oživiť. Celý rozhovor s ním si môžete prečítať na:

http://www.zautra.by/art.php?sn_nid=16269

Unknown said...

Základné informácie o tomto spisovateľovi nájdete na:

http://bit.ly/1sd0gtd

KatkaK said...

http://www.instesw.ebox.lublin.pl/ed/0/babkou.html.en
interview with him

KatkaK said...

In 2012 there were a large documentary series about him. Unfortunately the link gor videos doesn't work right now

Unknown said...

Bieloruská stránka upozornila verejnosť na fakt, že Ihar Babkou získal literárne ocenenie Visegrad Eastern Partnership Literary Awards. Tiež dáva do pozornosti, že cena sa bude odovzdávať 3. decembra na Univerzite Komenského v Bratislave.
Za akú knihu dostal ocenenie, prípadne kedy sa táto kniha má preložiť do slovenčiny sa dozviete na tejto stránke
Iharovi samozrejme gratulujeme ;)

Unknown said...

It´s really successful year for Ihar! His book, "Khvilinka" (Minute: Three stories") was awarded as the best book of prose, which was published (in paper or electronic format) in the previous year in the Belarusian language.
More about awarding ceremony here

Unknown said...

An article by him about project 'Beyond the Horizon of Europe...'
http://www.hungarianreview.com/article/literature

Andrea Jackuliaková said...

Ihar Babkou: For most countries of Western Europe Byelorussia does not exist. It may exist as a political fact but not as a cultural space.

In the beginning, when we gained independence in 1991, a desire appeared to disseminate the idea of Byelorussia in Europe, introduce it into Europe. In like manner a part of the issue of the Europeization of Byelorussia was conceived. After some concrete attempts to enter into dialogue, it appeared that this idea is too abstract and as such cannot be realized as we would dream it to be realized. Essentially, there is the myth of Europe that it does not correspond with any uniform space. There are different European cultures, different preferences, and the need to conduct dialogue with historical stereotypes looks differently here. For instance, it is very difficult for us to conduct such a dialogue with French culture, since the latter's traditional sympathy for Russia and Poland does not permit to notice anything between Russia and Poland. The dialogue with the Anglosaxon world is also very complex, for the very idea of culture is considerably different from the idea that is generally accepted in Byelorussia and Central Europe.

Unknown said...

A view of Ihar´s book "A minute" in Belarussian
http://lit-bel.org/by/news/4853.html

Unknown said...

Igor Bobkov, seems to be the first writer to say about multiculturalism in Belarus. This interview is about his feelings for Belarusian language, culture and history. He believes that "all will be good at the end".
Some of his own words - "There is no Belarusian-language minorities, and no Russian-speaking majority, there is extremely stable majority of bilinguals. Which differ only by the fact that someone is a part of the Belarusians expresses themselves publicly, and others - quiet and intimate.
You can find interview Here

Lula said...

Ihar Babkou v cykle "Bělorusko jedna báseň", ktorý v produkcii Větrných mlýnů (koproducent TVP Belsat) natočila česká dokumentaristka Erika Hníková. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCy_iJvAOkY&list=UUp67NJkoqWbc979CzszLlHA

Unknown said...

Ihar Babkou says that he will spend 10 thousand euro for “good things”: “Good things shouldn’t be made public. They should be made quietly; in this way good deeds come to karma”, the author said.

Unknown said...

Ihar Babkou narodený v Homiel, je významný bieloruský spisovateľ a básnik, filozof a prekladateľ, člen zväzu bieloruských spisovateľov a bieloruského PEN-Centra.Je drziteľlom viacerých ocenení ako Hliniany Vielies v roku1992 a Zalataya Litara v roku 2005. Autor troch kníh poézie Solus Rex (1991), Hrdina vojny pre transparentnosť (1998) a Zaspať, prebudiť sa, počúvať hlasy rýb(2009)

Unknown said...

Ihar Babkou graduated in philosophy at Belarusian State University in Minsk in 1986 and underwent internship in London (1992), Warsaw (1995), Paris (1999) and Berlin (2008). Furthermore he is the winner of literary prizes: Hliniany Vielies (1992) and Zalataya Litara (2005).

http://www.hungarianreview.com/author/ihar_babkou

Unknown said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCy_iJvAOkY

Unknown said...

http://litradio.by/fanateka/994-gar-babko.html Audio records of Ihar Babkou.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

review of the book Хвілінка/ A Minute, 2013

http://nmnby.eu/news/analytics/5395.html

Peter Kiss

Unknown said...

I add the link for the teaser of novel Khvilinka https://dennikn.sk/100632/ihar-babkov-minutka-ukazka-z-knihy/

Unknown said...

Babkov demonstrates not only exellent storyteller skills but also large intelectual and philosophical shot.The text is full of references on the chinese or anthic philosophy also on analytical philosophy of Whittgensteina existencionalism Sarta.It seems that the auther puts huge reqirements on the reader. It seems that the novel is easy read philosophical thinking reverses it in to the medicational level.

Unknown said...

In the 1995 he establish editorship Euroforum when he started publish magazine Fragmenty ( philosophia,studies of culture and lietrature), where founded the literature council "Byblyiateka Frahmenty"

Unknown said...

From the end of 1990 with the lieteraure activities he started his academical career he working in the institut in Minsk, lecture on universities in Vilnius, Minsk. In 2003 he vindicate his dissertation.

Unknown said...

Ihar Babkou's texts have been translated into Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Lithuanian, German, English, and Hungarian

Unknown said...

On June 2 the winner of Jerzy Giedroyc prize was announced in Minsk. Ihar Babkou the philosopher and writer was awarded the first prize. The book “Minute: Three stories” was recognized as the best book in Belarusian in the genres (poetical fiction” and “essay”. The book of the winner is about the places in which we come and where we come to stay.

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/06/04/ihar-babkou-won-jerzy-giedroyc-prize.html

Unknown said...

On September 9 at the start of an academic year in the Flying University called “University and the present” in area CECH in Minsk Babkou was asked about what has changed in his life after he received Jerzy Giedroyc Prize. “ For now nothing has changed, except I was fired from two universities – BSU (Belarusian State University) and EHU (European Humanitarian University), where I used to be a lecturer for the last 15 years and was closely tied with these universities. I was told they no longer needed my services.
It has happened neither because of Jerzy Giedroyc Prize nor because of conflicts in the EHU; this is just karma. So now I’m a free person.”

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/09/11/ihar-babkou-belarus-history-of-philosophical-thought-is-a.html

Unknown said...

At his courses he would like to see the willingness to discuss the suggested topics that matters. He says that “As what we are going to do is not about Belarusan Renaissance, propaganda, or disciplinary work; it is just professional work with tradition, serious essential discussion for students of humanitarian specialties and elderly people. The desire and aspiration to ask questions and read something are important here.”

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/09/11/ihar-babkou-belarus-history-of-philosophical-thought-is-a.html

Unknown said...

In his courses will be reflected the intellectual tradition people are working with now is not dome unbiased facts about our past, but rather a policy of memory, and what we put in it will define us.” And then, of course, the question of responsibility arises. Now we, basically, observe a great war between Russia and Ukraine: eastern European situation blew up. “

http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/09/11/ihar-babkou-belarus-history-of-philosophical-thought-is-a.html

Unknown said...

He was asked if can Belarusan intelligence pick up a wave of Ukrainian national rise.” You know, national rise in Ukraine has resulted from not a good occasion. And war is not something you should be envious about, even if it inspires a nation to reach its height.
I think that there is a different question: what is happening in Ukraine now is a radical breaking of all ideas, cultural stereotypes, gestalts, geopolitical and geo-cultural layouts that became a custom in the post-Soviet times. In this sense a lot depends on intellectuals. We can say that now a new Eastern Europe arises. And we only should think and make suggestions.”


http://en.eurobelarus.info/news/society/2014/09/11/ihar-babkou-belarus-history-of-philosophical-thought-is-a.html

Unknown said...

In interview with Stefan Wilkanowicz Babkou gives his view of the development and direction of Byelorussian culture. “ I think that after the fall of communism Byelorussian culture has ceased to be homogenic and has departed in different directions. Until 1989 all the people who could speak and write in Byelorussian were forced to exist in one space, to know about one another, to meet, to support one another, to publish in the same printing houses etc. We are no longer facing such a situation. To answer the question about Byelorussian culture and its development, I could simply count all the particles into which it has fallen apart and try to define the direction in which each of the particles is moving. There are some remnants of Soviet culture, which according to me is quietly dying. Of course, Byelorussian culture has its own printing houses, its own institutions which are not longer the focus of society's or readers' attention; it's only self-support. On the other hand, some avant-garde movements have appeared, what has been left after the generation of the 1980s, the ideas of classical modernism, i.e. the texts that make us aware and make us think about Byelorussian tradition. There is also the youngest generation - buffoonery, happenings, any provocations, known under the name of Bum-Bam-Litu. These are young artists who realize their ideas in a somewhat stylistic manner. There is also a specific thing like the Polish culture of the Byelorussians from the Bialystok region. These are such particles which exist totally independently, and have their own dynamics. It is also the culture of the Byelorussian from the Vilnius region. I don't know what will become dominating, what texts will become classical, but I think that Byelorussian Soviet culture has come to an end, and it won't play any important role.”

http://www.instesw.ebox.lublin.pl/ed/wydarzenia/babkou.html.en

Unknown said...

In the 1980s, he participated in the first samvydat (self-published) publications, as well as in the first independent meetings in Minsk. He took part in relaunching the weekly Nasha Niva, creating a new non-soviet Belarusian culture. In 1995, he founded the publishing house “Euroforum”. He is the author and signer of Belarusian Declaration of Freedom.His works have been translated into Polish, Ukrainian, German, Czech and Hungarian.

http://www.hungarianreview.com/author/ihar_babkou

Unknown said...

I would like to share with you THIS VIDEO. Ihar Babkou is talking about himself and reading his own poets. Really interesting and inspiring to see.

Unknown said...

I. Babkou: First, the identity of Byelorussians has undergone some essential changes after 1991. Byelorussianness is going or has gone from ethnic identity to civic awareness, i.e. Byelorussians would be made aware as a further part of ethnic tradition, peasant's, rural nation, which creates its own space and is slowly transforming into civic identity.