Writer Sergey Zhadan about the importance of culture in wartime

Sergey Zhadan. Photo by Vladimir Efroimson

Popular Ukrainian writer and poet Serhiy Zhadan spoke in New York on conference in Kharkovorganized by Columbia University. He also talked to readers; more than 500 people came to the presentation of his new book to the Ukrainian Museum.

In an interview with the Forum, 40-year-old Zhadan told when his books would be on sale in America, about relatives in the frontline zone and the importance of culture in wartime.

Sergey Zhadan - author of the novel «Voroshilovgrad»recognized by the BBC as the best Ukrainian book of the year 2010. He is also an active publicist and public figure. He has been to the eastern Ukraine’s region more than once.

You are from the Luhansk region, where military operations continue. Do you have relatives left there?

I am from the city of Starobelsk, which was and is under the control of the Ukrainian authorities and the Ukrainian army. We have there the separatists did not support and do not support. They were expelled a year ago, in the spring. Of course, I am in contact with friends, parents and relatives who are there. The situation is front-line, hectic, all, of course, are experiencing. They do not know what will happen tomorrow, fighting in 80 km from them, even with a truce, they still shoot.

Today you present your latest book. "Mesopotamia" and she is about love. And something is written about war?

I always wrote something about this: short texts, poems, columns, essays, press materials. I try to fix events. There is an idea to write a great prose about these events.

Have you been on the front line?

I am constantly there. As a volunteer, as a writer, my friends and writers constantly address civilians and the military. Two weeks ago, we were in Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk, and within the framework of the Ukrainian Spring festival.

How much culture is in demand during the war?

More in demand than in peacetime. If the cultural component disappears, this is evidence of some defeat. This means that there is nothing to oppose to aggression, violence and war. That we fall under the influence of external circumstances and cease to be ourselves. It is very important now not to shut up and continue to do your work.

Sergey Zhadan. Photo by Vladimir Efroimson

Your books have been translated into several languages ​​and are represented in foreign book networks. How difficult is it for an author to enter the international market?

As a rule, translators turn and offer to do something. Now one of the American publishing houses bought the rights to Voroshilovgrad, the book will be released by the end of the year in America.

Prior to that, the English version of the novel "Despades mod." But the literature market in English is very large and different: there is Britain, there is the USA. While it is easier for me to speak and enter the European market, I often go there and more understand what is happening.

Your books abroad are more expensive than in Ukraine. That is, they bring more profit here?

This is real money, but I don’t want to call the numbers, never considered.

You have experience in cinema - you played the poet in the film "Guide". Do you yourself think something to shoot or write a script?

Director Yaroslav Lodygin and I decided to make a film based on the novel Voroshilovgrad. If all goes well, then this year we will start shooting, we made the script for the first part. There are people who are willing to finance, they themselves turned, I agreed.

What is your favorite place in New York?

District East Village. This was the first thing I saw when I came here in 1996 with a group of young writers and actors. For us it was a different cosmos, another reality. Now every time I try to come here. And now we are in the historically Ukrainian district of the city (East Wilde), in the Ukrainian Museum, where exhibition of the Ukrainian avant-garde 20's, and this is doubly nice.

Sergei Zhadan at the presentation of the book in the Ukrainian Museum. Photo by Vladimir Efroimson