Dragging the History Behind in Brackets. Intervista A Ivan Vladislavic

Abstract

In this interview, South African author Ivan Vladislavic explores the relationship to his translators and the issues concerning the complexity and allusiveness of his language. He speaks about his history as a writer and editor in Post-apartheid South Africa and how to cope with social pressures for artists to present positive ‘nation-building’ images of the country. The interview examines one of his most recent work, Portrait with Keys – which has brought him more prominently to the attention of the European public – with particular reference to one of the postmodernist authors who influenced him the most, Italo Calvino. He talks about the importance of expanding fiction from its traditional forms and how he manages to weaves his work as a writer into his interest for architecture and visual art.