The award ceremony will be held on November 20th, coinciding with the closing gala of Gandia's Literary Autumn. The winning works, to be published by Edicions 62, are not yet available to the public, but notes and comments from the jury and authors have already been highlighted.
'País natal' by Josep Maria Fulquet has been recognized by the jury for its reflective depth, evoking figures like Dante, Shakespeare, and Vinyoli. The work explores family matters and the plurality of the self, with lyrical language addressing the theory of language and life's crises.
Meanwhile, Vicent Enric Belda's 'Distreta solitud' has been praised as a story of impossible love set under National Socialism. Belda demonstrates exceptional skill in reconstructing historical eras and contexts, as he did in his previous novel 'Pavana per a un infant difunt'.
While awaiting the prize-winning books, it is recommended to read the authors' previous works. 'Pavana per a un infant difunt' is considered a chronological preparation for 'Distreta solitud', while Xavier Franquesa Llopart's illustrations for Fulquet's 'Sis Cants d’Ample vol de la nit' highlight his philosophy of poetic language.
Fulquet, a professor and translator, proposes a philosophy of language focused on the fleeting nature of existence and the constant search for absolute form, drawing inspiration from thinkers like Wittgenstein. Belda, on the other hand, merges newspaper archives with fiction to bear witness to past eras, as seen in Maurice Ravel's 'Pavana per a un infanta difunta'.
The connection between writing and emotion is a recurring theme, with both authors exploring memory, the reconstruction of the past, and the precariousness of content. Their work is characterized by an honesty and kindness that transcend the written word.
The prizes recognize the writers' ability to translate not only texts but also emotions, spaces, and pasts, forming a strange partnership with the reader where reading can become writing and writing, an act.
