Anna Adamowicz
Justyna Bargielska
Jakub Kornhauser
Joanna Mueller i Joanna Łańcucka
Michał Sobol

Anna Adamowicz

Born in Lubin; works as a laboratory diagnostician. Her poems have been translated into English, Russian, Czech, and Slovenian. Nominated for the main prize in the 19th Jacek Bierezin National Poetry Contest, the 2017 Gdynia Literary Award, and the 2020 Cultural Award of the Gazeta Wyborcza daily. Her work has been published online and in print magazines, notably the Tymoteusz Karpowicz Foundation website, the Odra journal website, Inter-, Topos, and Arterie. She lives and works in Wrocław.

Animalia

There can never be enough reminders that cruelty to animals is a disgrace to ‘humanity’. I would repeat this, like Adamowicz, from morning to evening.

Wojciech Ligęza

Justyna Bargielska

Poet, prose writer, and playwright. Her published books of poetry include Dating Sessions (2003), China Shipping (2005), Dwa fiaty (2009), Bach for my baby (2012), Nudelman (2014), and Dziecko z darów (2019), in addition to two works of prose, Obsoletki (2010) and Małe lisy (2013). She has received the Gdynia Literary Award twice (for Dwa fiaty and Obsoletki). Together with Iwona Chmielewska, she co-authored two books, Obie (2016) and a collection of stories for children, Siedem pierwszych przygód Rozalii Grozy (2017). Nominated for the Warsaw Literary Award, Wisława Szymborska Award, Polityka magazine’s Paszport, and three times for the Nike Literary Award. Justyna Bargielska’s works have been translated into a number of languages. A forthcoming publication is her poemless book Pij ze mną kompot (scheduled for June 2021, Wydawnictwo Wolno). She lives in Warsaw.

Tomasz Bąk

Dziecko z darów

Bargielska’s book is a forceful attempt to bring together worlds that don’t want to be brought together.

Xavier Farré

Tomasz Bąk

Jakub Kornahuser

Born in 1984. Poet, translator, essayist, editor, literary studies scholar, and university teacher. Co-founder and employee of the Centre for Research on the Avant-Garde, part of the Polish Studies Faculty, and an assistant professor in the Philological Department, both at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. Has published three books of poems; received the Wisława Szymborska Award for Drożdżownia (2015). His recent publications include the monograph Awangarda. Strajki, zakłócenia, deformacje (2017); the book of essays Wolność krzepi, and his translation of Gherasim Luca’s prose, Bierny wampir (both in 2018). Head editor of such publication series as awangarda/rewizje (Wydawnictwo UJ), Rumunia Dzisiaj (Universitas), and wunderkamera (Instytut Mikołowski). Editor at Nowa Dekada Krakowska magazine and Romanica Cracoviensia journal, former editor at Literatura na Świecie. Lives in Krakow.

Dziewięć dni w ścianie

The fact that Dziewięć dni w ścianie is one of this year’s nominated books is an indication that the laureate of the main prize in 2017 was not a random choice. Jakub Kornhauser did not rest on his laurels, but has continued to develop his poetics, immersing himself yet further in surrealism.

Andrei Khadanovich

Joanna Mueller, Joanna Łańcucka

Born in 1979 Piła, Joanna Mueller is a poet, essayist, editor, and mother. She has published four books of poems: Somnambóle fantomowe (Kraków, 2003), Zagniazdowniki/Gniazdowniki (2007; nominated for the Gdynia Literary Awards), Wylinki (2010), and intima thule (2015; nominated for the Warsaw Literary Award and the Silesius), in addition to two collections of essays: Stratygrafie (2010; Warsaw Literary Premiere Award) and Powlekać rosnące (2013). She edited the books Solistki. Antologia poezji kobiet 1989–2009 (2009; co-edited with Maria Cyranowicz and Justyna Radczyńska) and Warkoczami. Antologia nowej poezji (2016; co-edited with Beata Gula and Sylwia Głuszak). Her work has been translated into several languages, notably Czech, Serbian, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, English, and German (Mystische musthaves, Berlin, 2016). She lives in Warsaw, where she is a co-teacher in the seminar on women’s literature ‘Wspólny Pokój (Shared Room).

Tomasz Bąk

Waruj

Waruj is a collaboration of two female artists, of poetry and image, of intellect and emotion. It is a very interesting expression of sisterhood and commitment in the feminist universe.

Dorota Walczak-Delanois

Tomasz Bąk

Michał Sobol

Born in 1970 in Cerekiew near Radom. Church historian and philosopher. Lives in Zabierzów Bocheński on the edge of Niepołomice Forest. Works in Krakow, in a monastic library.

Wieść

Sobol builds a microcosm. In doing so, he proves that the poet does not need to stand on tiptoes, does not need to invent spectacular new languages, that poetry can function in a small private world.

Wojciech Ligęza