A FEW WORDS ON MACEDONIAN CONTEMPORARY CLASSICS
Conversation with authors Blaže Minevski, Aleksandar Prokopiev, Ermis Lafazanovski, Olivera Kjorveziroska
Moderators: Vladimir Martinovski and Aleksandra Jurukovska
What does it mean to be a “classic” in Macedonian literature? Do such names really exist, who are they and according to what criteria do we recognize them? The panel will open a discussion on what we mean by the term “contemporary classic” and how a canon is created in national literature. The discussion will focus on the treatment of writers who are already considered classics, but also on those who could become part of that category in the future: are their works sufficiently present in the public, how represented are they in educational programs and what does this mean for future generations of readers.
Particular attention will be paid to the questions of the critical approach: are we allowed to question and criticize the classics, or do they remain untouchable authorities? How does the perception of a writer change over time, and what does his work mean for cultural memory?
The panel will also address the role of publishers: what they do to keep classic works alive – through new releases, editions, critical skills and promotions – and how much these activities affect the relevance of classics in the contemporary cultural space.
The authors, each from their own perspective – novelist, critic, essayist or academic – will reexamine the boundaries between tradition and modernity, and offer ideas on what the relationship towards Macedonian contemporary classics should look like today.
