I meet Marek on a chilly afternoon in downtown Brussels. He has spent a few weeks as a writer in residence at Passa Porta House of Literature, and I’m curious to know what his routine has been like while living here. I want to pry into his creative universe. I want know what magic he’s been able to find in the city.

“I want to show you something,” he says, after reflecting on my question for a while. “I believe it’s one of the places that captures the essence of my being here.”

We walk on Rue de Flandre until the traffic light, then cross Rue du Marché aux Porcs. The brown and yellow leaves lie scattered and crushed on the pavement. “This is it,” he says, as we reach the alley of Rue de la Cigogne. “In the afternoons, after working on the manuscript, I would come here for some quiet. Whenever I needed to recharge, this place right here is where I would come.”

The alley is empty. Only a few bicycles stand next to the water pipes, the trees that have crept and followed a trail close to the walls, and Marek looks at all of this as if there lay a secret meaning he wanted to decipher.

During his residency he also enjoyed going out for a run on Antoine Dansaert and up Mont des Arts, past the Place Royal and further into the park where he would try to untangle his thoughts while giving a few laps around, nodding from time to time to other fellow runners.

Marek had been to Brussels before, in 2017, when he attended the Passa Porta Literary Festival and talked about his book Mapa Anny (The Map of Anna). The book is not only a multifaceted portrayal of the main character, Ana, but also an adventurous exploration form. Conceived as a set of stories told from different points of view, The Map of Anna continue to reveal the multi-dexterity of Šindelka as a poet, novelist, and short story writer.

The Dutch edition of Material Fatigue is on the short list for the Europese Literatuurprijs (European Literature Prize). In the Czech Republic it won the prestigious Magnesia Litera Prose Book of the Year Award, and when I ask about the genesis of the book he recounts, as if it were yesterday, how on a sunny day in 2015 he had been playing with his first daughter, a toddler, and the news of a truck with 70 dead people in Austria appeared in the news. All of them migrants.

“I was shocked,” Marek says. “I had my daughter sitting in my lap. She was babbling something, chewing a toy, and we were enjoying our time, feeling happy. And then the news arrived. I thought, How could this be happening in Europe?”

The shock, he continues, only grew when he started to see the reactions in the Czech Republic. “Some people were even celebrating it. That’s how far the media and some politicians had gone. That made me really angry and sad at the same time. I felt I had to do something about it.”

Shortly after, he began interviewing migrants and refugees, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan. But soon he realized he couldn’t possibly write the book as a documentary retelling someone else’s story. He chose to use all of those experiences to inform the novel, to create the fictional world of the two main characters. “Because if someone came to me and asked, ‘What’s the most horrible thing that has happened to you?’ I wouldn’t do it, I wouldn’t tell them. For my novel I didn’t want to use someone else’s suffering just for effect.”

Material Fatigue tells the story of two brothers, fleeing from an unnamed country which is being ravaged by war. They’ve lost their home and family. They’ve lost their sense of direction. Professional traffickers have smuggled them into Europe. At the start of their long journey they get separated. The novel contains passages that suffocate, narrow spaces that push the limits of what many readers can tolerate.

“I’ve received letters from readers saying that they cannot finish the book because they feel claustrophobic,” he says. “I’m totally fine with that. I just wanted them to experience, even if for a short while, what it feels like to be in a place like that. A refugee camp.”

In the Czech Republic he’s faced difficult moments with people who disagree with his ideas. After the success and media attention that followed the Magnesia Litera Prose Book, he received hundreds and hundreds of hate emails. He had to disable the contact form on his webpage.

“There is too much disinformation these days. The Czech Republic accepted twelve asylum seekers in total. Twelve. Where is the Islamic invasion many politicians like to talk about?”

These days the situation in the Czech Republic has slightly improved as many people have realized that the data and information provided by certain politicians was misleading. They wanted to use the migration crisis to their advantage. Fear can be a powerful currency in politics.

Can literature help us understand each other better, the competing emotions and contradictory behaviors each and every one of us is susceptible to?

In the study where he has been working in his latest project, he tells me about someone close to him who, in the midst of anti-migrants campaigns in Prague, decided to buy a gun. “It’s totally crazy, you know, because I know he is a good person. That’s how complex human beings are.”

Despite the current climate of polarization in different parts of Europe and the US, Marek continuous to focus on his work. He remains hopeful. “It might be naive to think that a book can change how people live but that’s what I can do, and so I choose to do it.”

Before I leave his study on the Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grains, I ask him what souvenir will he take with him when he boards the plain for Prague. “A sore throat,” he replies, and we both laugh. “I take with me the feeling of the colorful and lively city Brussels is. People of all cultures and backgrounds live right here in the center of town, which is not the case in the center of Prague, I can tell you that much. Brussels offers a cultural mix in a city that’s unique.”

The post « I take with me the feeling of the colorful and lively city Brussels is » — Marek Šindelka at Passa Porta appeared first on Brussels Express.

The new issue of the magazine features a detailed overview of the contemporary Czech comic book scene, as well as a 32-page special report celebrating the life and work of the Flemish comic book artist Charel Cambré, author of the well-known “Amoras” and “Jump” comic strips.

Mr Cambré was present at the launch yesterday, where he offered a number of interesting remarks about the nature both of his own work and the Flemish comic book scene more generally. Joining him at the launch was the Czech comic book historian Pavel Kořínek, who offered an excellent history and overview of the current state of play of Czech comics.

During his talk, Mr Kořínek noted that in the 20th century, Czech comics were “predominantly aimed at children, not adults”, but that this began to change around the start of the 21st century, with the arrival on the Czech comic book scene of adult-catering artists such as Jaroslav Rudiš.

Mr Kořínek went on to remark that, unlike comics in other countries, there is no “hegemonic” Czech style; rather, he said, Czech comics exhibit an “eclectic mixture of different genres and drawing techniques”. Another peculiarity of Czech comics that Mr Kořínek highlighted is the fact that the “default” Czech comic publication format is the graphic novel – that is, a complete, autonomous piece of work of around 100-250 pages. This distinguishes the Czech comic scene from the Belgian and American ones, where the publication of much shorter comic strips – or edited collections thereof – is far more prevalent.

Mr Kořínek also noted that the genre landscape in the Czech Republic has become “increasingly diverse and interesting” over the last twenty years or so. Whereas the majority of Czech comics used to focus on medieval-themed tales involving knights, kings, and princesses (and, very occasionally, recent Czech history), now Czech comics exhibit a far more varied set of styles and genres. Intriguingly, Mr Kořínek noted that today the Czech comic book scene is building upon its own local traditions and customs – traditions and customs which, only a few decades ago, barely existed.

Finally, Mr Kořínek discussed the potential pedagogical uses of comic books, and how, in particular, they could be a “brilliant tool” for use in history lessons, and/or to help students to learn about important contemporary issues such as the treatment of mental illness. However, Mr Kořínek also emphasised that students “must be taught how to use and properly engage with [comic books]” before they could reasonably be appropriated for teaching purposes.

Mr Cambré then spoke briefly about his experience as a professional comic book artist in Belgium. Among the many interesting points he made, he emphasised the difficulty these days of getting young children interested in comics given the vigorous competition for their attention from video consoles, iPhones, and television.

In the ensuing panel discussion featuring both Mr Cambré and Mr Kořínek, the latter spoke about how Stripgids’ focus on Czech comics in its most recent issue “presents a great opportunity” for Czech comic artists and the Czech comic book scene more generally. However, he also emphasised that he “certainly doesn’t expect things to change overnight” for comic book artists in the Czech Republic. He also stressed the importance of “connecting national comic scenes” in order to “promote the ‘global republic of comics’”.

Mr Cambré, in turn, spoke about his love for his job, and the enjoyment he feels everyday in being able to draw varied styles and genres throughout the work week: “There’s not a day when I draw without pleasure,” he said.

More ominously, however, Mr Cambré emphasised that we are now possibly at a “turning point” in the global comic book industry:

“Sales are dropping,” he said. “Comic book editors are adopting the easy response by, for instance, printing comic book series about well-known characters, in order to seek some kind of recognition among consumers. But this won’t last forever.”

Mr Kořínek, by contrast, emphasised that “we are now living through the Golden Age of Czech comics – we’re in brilliant shape”. However, he too offered a word of warning:

“Despite what a lot of comic book artists say, I’m not sure if comics are the medium of the future,” he said. “I think – and fear – that it’s likely that mobile phones will be instead.”

In the subsequent Q&A, Mr Kořínek spoke about the decline of satirical newspaper cartoons as a direct consequence of such satire shifting to the internet where, he said, “media can respond virtually instantaneously to events as they occur” in the form of (e.g.) memes. He also noted that nearly all Czech comic artists only work as comic artists part-time, and are usually forced to work other jobs to make ends meet.

Mr Kořínek also discussed how the Slovak comic scene is “less developed” than the Czech one, and how the best Slovak artists can usually be found in Prague.

Finally, he spoke about how there was not a strong dissident comic book scene during the country’s Communist era due to the fact that (as mentioned previously) during this period comic books were predominantly aimed at children, and hence were not viewed as an artistic form “worthy of serious intellectual attention” or even as a medium that could potentially be used purely for satirical purposes.

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The spring in Brussels belongs to film events and Czech Centre Brussels goes with the flow with its programme of film screenings and festivals in Brussels and in Ghent. This year’s Film Spring is mainly defined by new documentary films produced in the Czech Republic, but feature films and animation will not be left behind.

Reminiscence of Centenary of the Czech and Slovak statehood in the form of docu-fiction “Talks with TGM” will open the Echoes of International Documentary Film Festival Ji.hlava in the European Parliament in February; the Echoes will continue with screenings and masterclasses at RITCS and KASK schools (Brussels and Ghent), followed by the screenings of internationally awarded documentaries “The Central Bus Station” (by Tomáš Elšík), “The Silence of Others” (produced by Pedro Almódovar) and “The Waldheim Waltz” (best documentary of 67th Berlinale) at Cinéma Aventure (Brussels).

 

 

Documentary part of our programme includes also Millenium festival inviting two Czech documentaries this March and, obviously, the one of the highlights of Brussels documentary season – One World in Brussels 2019, a 13th edition of the series of screenings and debates with human rights defenders and activists. One World in Brussels 2019 revolves around the topic of “Safe Proximity” and raises the questions of identity, divided society and common values.

 

 

Czech animation will be represented by young filmmaker Tereza Kovandová who will introduce her film “Bloody Fairy Tales” during ANIMA 2019 in March. A a very remarkable feature film “Domestique” will be a part of this year’s Offscreen festival, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the self-immolation of student Jan Palach will be remembered in the House of the European History on 20th March with screening of the new film by Robert Sedláček.

More information available here

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From 9^th to 11^th November in the wonderful premises of Halles Saint-Gery, Brussels, a three-day show presents the best of Czech and Slovak contemporary fashion design. The market presents for sale items of 14 designers who will be available for a chat on their brand. The event aims to give space for networking between the Czech, Slovak and Belgian scene. But of course, the doors are open for everyone who is curious about the contemporary fashion trends.

This treat for fashion lovers will offer three up-cycling workshops with designers on Saturday 10^th November, at 15:00, and the Fashion market will be open from 12:00 – 20:00.

“The Czech fashion scene is abundant in new ideas and superb craftsmanship – from bold new stories in Prague’s Baroque palaces and renovated warehouse to Brno’s entertaining mix of traditional textile techniques with punk attitude,” says Tamara Katuscak, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of Belgium.

The curator of Czech and Slovak Fashion Festival 2018, Darina Zavadilova, emphasises the importance of developing a scene which has such a wide range of style – from unique traditional motifs to female empowerment and minimalism. ”The scene is particularly indebted to the current European trend of returning to national values and local traditions, combined with an ethical and environmentally friendly approach to production.”

Most importantly the products have been manufactured in Prague and Brno from start to end by young designers who have become widely recognised with their own brands not long after their graduation.

« They all represent values central to the contemporary Czech and Slovak fashion scenes and rooted in our shared history and traditions: highly skilled manufacturing, traditional techniques, textile design and folk motifs, combined with playfulness, a little provocation, recycling approaches, urban culture and minimalist aesthetics.”

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14 Czech fashion designers and 4 Slovak labels will present their work in Halles St. Géry/Sint-Gorikshallen from 9 to 11 November. Bold accessories and extraordinary jewelry, modern embroidery and stark minimalism, female and male fashion – the carefully curated selection offers a sneak peek into the best of the fashion scenes of the two countries. Moreover, the fashion offer will be accompanied by gift items and off-beat home accessories. In partnership with MAD, the festival also brings Belgian guests to professional and public events in a dialogue with Czech and Slovak designers.

“Values significant for the contemporary Czech and Slovak fashion are highly precise local manufacturing, traditional crafts and techniques, focus on textile design and folklore motives, combined with playfulness, bit of provocation, recycling and up-cycling approaches, urban culture and minimalist aesthetics,” says the curator Darina Zavadilová.

Besides the designers’ market, the festival also includes a B2B event, three workshops on fashion upcycling by the designers (Saturday November 10 at 3 pm) and free babysitting with children workshops.

Designers, bloggers and journalists, buyers and curators and other professionals from the field of fashion and design are warmly invited to join the B2B session on Friday, 9 November, at 11 am, with prior registration at ccbrussels@czech.cz.

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“You will find an extravagant porcelain boot in the window of the Agave flower-shop, stylish watch in a barber shop, and a bicycle in the popular Brussels joint El Turco,” says director of Czech Centre Brussels, Jitka Pánek Jurková. “This project thus literally opens a window into the history of Czech design to a broad audience.”

Everyone can discover the venues for himself with a map available at Brussels.czechcentres.cz/100czech, or during a guided tour with the curator Iva Knobloch on September 29 (16:00, in French) and September 30 (16:00, in English).

The exhibition was created by Czech Centers in cooperation with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. The event ‘100Czech: The Story of Czech Design’ is supported by CzechTourism and is a part of the official celebrations of the century of Czech statehood in Brussels.

100Czech: The Story of Czech Design  – 21 September – 4 October 2018, Ixelles/Elsene, Brussels

Brussels.czechcentres.cz/100czech

Guided tour on Saturday 29 September 16:00 in French, and 30 September 16:00 in English. The meeting point will be specified soon.

More information on the website and facebook pages

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