Texts by 13 Ukrainian writers and literary critic Vira Ageieva have been published in Norwegian in the translation journal Mellom.
The Ukrainian issue of Mellom was created as part of the project 'Ukrainian Literature and Co-Translation,' which was launched in Norway after the full-scale Russian invasion. According to the Ukrainian Book Institute, by February 24, 2022, only three Ukrainian novels had been translated into Norwegian.
'Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Ukrainian literature remained almost unknown in Norway, but after the start of the war, it became clear how underestimated it was by Norwegian publishers,' writes the journal Mellom."
In the new issue of Mellom, there are texts by the following Ukrainian writers:
Volodymyr Vakulenko
Viktoria Amelina
Vasyl Stus
Yevhen Pluzhnyk
Viktor Domontovych
Vira Ageieva
Artur Dron
Taras Shevchenko
Pavlo Tychyna
Taras Prohasko
Volodymyr Lys
Maks Kidruk
Kateryna Babkina
Oleksandr Oles
The issue was illustrated by Grycja Erde, a collage artist, designer, and poet from Lviv. To bring this issue to print, seven pairs of translators and several institutions from both countries collaborated, including the Norwegian Cultural Council, the Norwegian Association of Translators, the Norwegian Literature Abroad (NORLA), the Ukrainian Society in Norway, and the Ukrainian Book Institute. In particular, Irina Sabor curated the selected works, aiming to introduce Norwegians to both classical and contemporary Ukrainian literature, spanning from the Romantic era to the present day.
"According to the creators of the journal, such a perspective on Ukrainian literature, among other things, will help understand the brutal war currently raging in Europe," writes the team of the Ukrainian Book Institute.
"Mellom" magazine is published in Norway twice a year. As mentioned on the project's website, it is a space for those interested in literature and translation. The publication features translations and texts about translation in all genres, as well as criticism of translated literature.
