Do we still need the classics? Contemporary Faces of Ancient Works

Do we still need the classics? Contemporary Faces of Ancient Works

Can the classics still talk to us? Can works created decades or even hundreds of years ago still describe our experiences, fears, conflicts and questions? Or do we need completely new stories today?

We invite you to talk about why we actually read the classics and what modernity can do with it. We will look at old works from today's perspective — their new interpretations, contemporary translations, and the ways in which literature allows subsequent generations to find their own experiences in it.

Different perspectives will come together in the discussion: the writer and translator, the publisher and the promoter of reading. We will talk about this, among others:

Can a classic be contemporary?

What makes some books stand the test of time?

How can modern writers dialogue with past works?

What role do new translations play in discovering the classics?

Do you need to know the historical context to read the classics well?

Are there any works worth re-reading today? Or maybe the ones we should say goodbye to?

The following will take part in the discussion:

Łukasz Chmara — online bookseller

Krzysztof Cieślik — ArtRage publishing house

Jacek Dehnel — translator

moderator of the discussion: Anna Spólna

5 November (Thursday), 17:00

MBP in Radom, 12 Piłsudskiego Street

Free admission

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The panel discussion will be organized as part of the project “A question of culture — meetings, workshops, discussions about literature”. The task was co-financed from the funds of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund — a state special purpose fund