Individual residencies / Andorra
MAGDALENA SZWAREK
From Monday, 1 August 2022 to Friday, 19 August 2022
Bio
Magdalena Szkwarek holds Master degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Warsaw, Poland. She also completed postgraduate studies in History and Culture of Polish Jews. Magdalena has been working at the Center of Latinamerican studies of the University of Warsaw where she held lectures on Latinamerican Literature, Jewish Diaspora in Latin America, and other topics that concerned Latin America.. In 2019 she published first Polish translation of poems by Cristina Peri Rossi. Her commitment to popularize Latin America culture has been awarded with Cultural Education Award of the City of Warsaw. She works at a Public Library in Warsaw where she started a Latinamerican book club.
She also runs a blog on Ecuador.
Project
During my stay at the Faber I plan to finalize my PhD thesis. The subject matter of the thesis is Jewish motifs in Jorge Luis Borges’s works. Based on this great Argentinian writer’s short stories and poems I do some research to see what role these motifs play in Borges’s works and how they can be interpreted.
Andorra, a country made of culture
Arriving in Andorra I found the nature breathtaking, the people wonderful and the environment full of different cultural spaces. Every corner of this country seems to tell you that you are welcome and invites you to walk along the mountain trails, to visit museums and historical places, to contemplate art in its different manifestations, to enjoy shopping, to participate in city festivals. To have a good time.
All this facilitated my work of translating the poems of the outstanding Andorran poet Teresa Colom. In a country where in front of the parliament there are seven poets, working on poetry is pure joy and the challenge becomes a pleasure. The "discovery" of Teresa Colom's verses moved me and opened the doors to the literature of Andorra, unknown in my country. The personal meeting with the poet was one of the most important experiences in Andorra.
I was impressed by the importance of the culture that is manifested, among others, in the variety of sculptures in many parts of the country, in the seriousness with which the literary heritage is treated, in publications on literature, in the number of museums, galleries and libraries. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to know and live that unforgettable experience of working in such an extraordinary place as Andorra.
From my fascination for the country was born the idea to publish the series "Literary Postcards from Andorra" in Polish (https://rynek-ksiazki.pl/?s=Andory).
I would like to thank all the people who made my stay possible, especially Meritxell Blanco, whom I could always count on.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
