We’ve been very fortunate to welcome eight writers-in-residence to Norwich UNESCO City of Literature this year. Below, we recap on their experiences living in the city, in their own words.
Han Yujoo, Korea
July to September
“I arrived on a Monday. I unpacked roughly and went out to get something to eat; the town was as quiet as a graveyard. It would have been around 6pm, and though it was still bright out, the streets were almost deserted. Wandering the maze of alleyways, I saw countless beautiful facades. There were churches and the cathedral. The scent of grass was in the air. There was a narrow river. A footpath.” Read more >>
This residency was supported by Arts Council Korea.
Paik Gahuim, Korea
July to September
Paik Gahuim made his literary debut in 2001 when he won the Seoul Shinmun New Writer’s Award. He is the author of the short story collections, The Cricket Is Crying, Manager Jo’s Trunk, and The Hint is “Brother-in-law,” as well as the novel, Naphthalene.
“In this small city whose population was no more than 130,000, the library was the most grand, splendid building. In the afternoons sitting in the library was really great. All through the afternoon I sat there and wrote something, sometimes read a book, and did some people-watching. I had a leisurely coffee in a cafe and read a book. Sometimes I even sat gazing at an event or performance happening in the square in front of the library.” Read more >>
This residency was supported by Arts Council Korea.
Polly Barton, Japan
August
“I don’t even have to leave my room to experience the park. Now the sounds of its Saturday rise up to greet me at my desk: coaches reversing back into their allotted space in the diagonal parking lots, crows belly-laughing in slow motion, a taiko troupe practicing drums, school kids practicing baseball, pre-school kids practicing screaming, and a park van broadcasting a frantic jingle as it crawls along the path, interspersed with a message in Japanese – a van is passing, please watch out, a van is passing…” Read more >>
Aoko Matsuda, Japan
August
Debby Lukito, Indonesia
October
Read more >>
Residency funded by the Indonesian Book Committee.
Avianti Armand, Indonesia
October
Avianti Armand is an architect, curator, writer and poet. In 2008 she received the Indonesian Association of Architects Award for her “Kampung Rumah” (Rumah Kampung). She received the award of Best Kompas Best Short Story in 2009, the Khatulistiwa Literary Award in 2011 for her collection of poems, Women Whose Names Were Erased, and recently published a collection of poems titled A Book About Space. She has also written several architecture books, one of which is a collection of essays The Other Architecture.
Residency funded by the Indonesian Book Committee.
Nuril Basri
October
“Norwich has inspired me with its authenticity. The churches, old buildings, the library, the slightly gloomy atmospheric city that weirdly calming me. The people, their smiles, politely saying “sorry”.” Read more >>
Residency funded by the Indonesian Book Committee.
Angel Igov
October
“A writer’s residence is basically about two things: time and place. Because time is arguably the single most precious resource in the actual process of writing, the opportunity to leave all other responsibilities behind for a while is cherished by authors, especially those of us who do other things and have other guises as well.” Read more >>
Angel’s creative residency in Norwich is a project of the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation implemented in cooperation with the Writers’ Centre Norwich, the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia and the British Centre for Literary Translation. The project was made possible with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in London.
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