The Slovenia Times

Prešeren Prize Goes to Writer Kavčič and Composer Merku

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Kavčič (1932) has made his name with a number of books thematising WWII and post-war topics, while Merku (1927), one of the most influential personalities in the Slovenian minority in Italy, were hailed as two of the most prolific Slovenian authors of the second half of the 20th century.

In his address to the event, Janez Bogataj of the Prešeren Fund Board, which selects Prešeren laureates, stressed that Culture Day was a national holiday which should be celebrated to the fullest, also by respecting differences.

Bogataj touched on the controversy which has accompanied this year's closed-door selection process when the Board decided to honour reporter Jože Možina for his documentary about Slovenian missionary Pedro Opeka.

The news that he would get one of the six Prešeren Fund Prizes, given out largely for top artistic achievements from the past two years, outraged the judging panel for performing arts because it had not nominated him.

Bogataj argued in his speech in favour of awarding Možina, saying the institute of Prešeren Prizes should be changed rather than scrapped. What he dubbed "a heated debate" about the selection process proves that the prizes are not a mainstay taken for granted but an opportunity for reflection.

He said one should bear in mind that art is changing and expanding, which should be taken into account when reflecting on how to further develop the prizes, proposing that the areas of film, design and translation should each get their own selection commission which nominates artist for the prizes.

Apart from the selection commission for performing arts, there are currently commissions only for arts (painting, sculpture); music; and literature. As part of the controversy over Možina's documentary, some have suggested that a separate commission should be introduced for film.

Meanwhile, laureate Kavčič earned himself a laud applause when he pointed to the difficult economic situation in the country, saying that once Slovenia joined the EU many companies went bankrupt and unemployment increased.

"The state is saving banks so that they will be able to do what they have been doing so far, while young people are leaving for jobs abroad." He illustrated the situation with a party which has listed 42 members for well-paid MEP jobs, while it does not have a candidate for a new health and economy minister.

Merku, on the other hand, was more personal in his thank-you speech. "I'm happy again, I'll die happier," he said half jokingly, explaining he wrote his last piece of music in 2004 and struggled with an illness since.

The other five Prešeren Fund Prizes went to painter and illustrator Alenka Sottler, honoured for helping elevate the status of illustration, and theatre director Jernej Lorenci, celebrated for three recent plays and as one of the most unique theatre directors of his generation.

Moreover rewarded were Vesna Pernarčič, a leading actress of the Kranj Theatre, the innovative percussion project STop, and Vladimir Kos, a 89-year-old Christian missionary who has lived in Japan for several decades and is considered one of the pioneers of Slovenian modernist poetry.

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