In Frankfurt? Head over to the Georgian Stand…
See below for the latest from those in the know and the program which starts next week.
Q: The 2015 Frankfurt Bookfair is imminent. How do you see Georgia’s participation this year in contrast to previous years?
THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL BOOK CENTER (Dea Metreveli): Participation of Georgia at the Frankfurt Book Fair and organizing the National Stand has always been among the main priorities for us. Since 2010 the dynamic of activities which Georgia is realizing within the framework of the Frankfurt Book Fair, is permanently increasing. This year Georgia will be presented with a renewed stand and enriched cultural program which will include several readings, presentations, performances and discussions. Traditionally, various Georgian writers will attend the Book Fair and participate in the events planned by the Georgian National Book Center, along with international partners. Three thematical catalogues, prepared specially for the Book Fair for the first time, will be presented to international publishers, partners and readers interested in Georgian contemporary as well as modern classic and non-fiction titles.
THE PUBLISHER (Tina Mamulashvili of Bakur Sulakauri Publishing House): This year does not differ a lot from previous years - we prepared everything in advance and are ready meet our fellow publishers from all over the world to discuss new projects.
Q: What do you hope to gain from this year’s Fair (in general and in readiness for being Guest of Honor in 2018)?
THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL BOOK CENTER: We see the Frankfurt Book Fair as the most beneficial international platform for presenting Georgian Literature and particularly Georgian authors to a wide range of readers. Starting in 2010, step by step we have been gaining international awareness which in fact got us to the point where Georgia was selected to be the Guest of Honor Country at the 2018 Frankfurt Book Fair. From the Book Fair this year, we expect to gain more experience by having consultations and working meetings with our partners who have been Guest of Honor in previous years.
THE PUBLISHER: More information about e-books and new trends in digitalization of various kinds of books, including children’s; more new titles to translate and more Georgian rights sold abroad.
Q: How are preparations going for Frankfurt 2018?
THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL BOOK CENTER: Preparation for the Guest of Honor Presentation at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2018 started in 2014. The Georgian National Book Center as the LEPL organization was established under the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia right after signing the Agreement between the Georgian government and Frankfurt Book Fair to ensure that the working process, related with the Guest of Honour Presentation will be coordinated in relevance with the requirements of the project. So far we are meeting the deadlines set by the Frankfurt Book Fair, and the Georgian National Book Center, as the coordinator of the process, is in permanent touch with Frankfurt Book Fair management on the one hand and the state institutions within the Organizing Committee of the Guest of Honour project.
THE PUBLISHER: Active preparations will start only next year. We are gradually preparing the translations and catalogues, but more is planned for 2016.
Georgian Program of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2015
October 14 / 15:00-16:00
Lesezelt / Agora
LASHA BUGADZE
ZEUS VS EUROPE (HOMO EX MACHINA)
Reading / Performance: A crisis can appear in many forms – international crisis, ecological crisis, middle age crisis and the hardest one – economic crisis. The last one recently popularized Greece in a manner such as was unattainable even by the Acropolis.
Storm-breaker Zeus got old and retired, Dionysus joined the Alcoholics Anonymous, Apollo started a modeling career, Hermes sells lottery tickets and silicon-addicted Aphrodite lost her beauty…
Who will rescue Greece from eviction out of Europe? What will happen with the idea of a united Europe?
Author: Lasha Bugadze focuses his critical and ironic attention on relationships between the generations, and he describes situations in which people fall victim to their prejudices, fixed ideas or stereotypes.
October 14 / 17:00-18:00
Georgian National Stand / Hall 5.0 B 100
PROMOTING GEORGIAN LITERATURE ABROAD
Presentation: Welcoming Reception at the Georgian National Stand accompanied by Georgian wine and snacks.
Topic: Initiatives by the Georgian National Book Center / Medea Metreveli of the Georgian National Book Center
Georgia’s young and dynamic book market / Gvantsa Jobava of the Georgian Publishers & Booksellers Association
October 15 / 17:00-17:30
Forum International Dialogue / Hall 5.1, A128
SHOTA RUSTAVELI
KNIGHT IN THE PANTHER’S SKIN
Shota Rustaveli’s Knight in the Panther’s Skin is regarded as the national epic of Georgians. The 1955 German adaptation by Hugo Huppert, reprinted in the present edition, attempts to render the style and content of the epic as closely as possible. The volume is decorated with 54 illuminations from the 17th-18th century manuscript, which exhibit strong influences of Persian models in their filigreed design.
Moderation: Prof. Manana Tandashvili / Goethe University Frankfurt
Participants: Prof. Dr. Jost Gippert / Goethe University Frankfurt; Ursula Reichert / Reichert Verlag
October 16 / 11:30-12:00
Forum International Dialogue / Hall 5.1, A128
FOUR GEORGIAN TITLES BY POP VERLAG
Presentation: Four Georgian authors, four different stylistic and thematic flows: Tchola Lomtatidze, Ekaterine Gabashvili, Esma Oniani and David Barbakadze.
Reading / Discussion: David Barbakadze about his book The Triangle of Cranes.
Author: David Barbakadze is a poet with a background in philosophy and psychology. He abandoned a standard academic career to pursue independent projects in Georgian and German Literature. Barbakadze has been a member of the European Writers’ Union Kogge since 2007.
Moderation: Traian Pop / Pop Verlag
Participants: Steffi Khotivari-Juenger / translator; Artchil Khotivari / translator
October 16 / 16:00-17:00
Lesezelt / Agora
ZAZA BURCHULADZE
ADIBAS
Presentation / Discussion: Zaza Burchuladze and Jurij Andruchowytsch on Burchuladze’s Adibas. Writers will talk about literary writing in politically uneasy times.
Author: Zaza Burchuladze’s narratives often startle the reader with his experimental way of writing and provocative themes that he takes up, in most cases considered taboos. He writes about political conformity, violence and brutality, addressing ideological and religious topics as well as sexuality. Adibas is his first book published in German.
Moderation: Lasha Bakradze / Georgian Literature Museum
Participant: Jurij Andruchowytsch / Aufbau Verlag
October 17 / 12:30-13:00
Forum International Dialogue / Hall 5.1, A128
ANNA KORDZAIA-SAMADASHVILI
WHO KILLED CHAIKA?
This is a very complicated and intriguing story written in a very catchy way. Who Killed Chaika? won the IliaUni Literary Award (Georgia) as the Best Novel of 2013. The central figures of this novel, with all their idiosyncrasies and emotional outbursts, are as lovable as the characters of Almodуvar.
Moderation: Tim Mьcke / Verlag Hans Schiler
Author: Anna Kordzaia-Samadashvili’s expressive and emotional tales and short stories about men and women, love and hate, sex and disappointment are somewhat outrй and sarcastic, but it is this that gives them their appeal.
Katie Ruth Davies