From a satanic tango to a goddess

Conversation between László Krasznahorkai and Adan Kovacsics. 

This conversation between writer László Krasznahorkai and his translator, novelist and essayist Adan Kovacsics will revolve around the last two books by this Hungarian author to be published in Spain, Seiobo There Below and Satantango. These are representative of his writing, as they touch on the whole arc of his work. In Seiobo There Below, Krasznahorkai goes into the great creations of eastern and western culture, while expressing his aspiration to an existence that includes the holy and signifies the lasting conservation of beauty. Satantango, on the other hand, offers a dark, apocalyptic view of the world, more specifically of a Hungary threatened by corruption, devastation, violence and war. This dialogue will also highlight the Hungarian maestro’s contribution to contemporary narrative by creating his own distinctive universe, populated by peculiar, quixotic characters, using long, complex sentences that draw the reader into their cadenced rhythm, using radically innovative forms aimed at breaking free of restrictions and opening windows to other art forms in his collaboration with other creative talents, such as artist Max Neumann or film director Béla Tarr, whose most important films are based on the narrative and the world of Krasznahorkai. Finally, they will discuss the need to preserve the independence and freedom of literature, today under threat from mass culture and the bestseller.