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The Ukrainian translator is a resident in Banská Štiavnica from May 16th throughJune 15th.
Iryna Pushkaristranslating the booksMatky a kamionisti / Mothers and TruckersbyIvanaDobrakovová andձáýDZ/ Physical Education by MartinM. Šimečka. In 2020, two of her translations came out in Ukrainian:Medzi Slovákmi/ Among the s(Martin M. Šimečka) andMilo nemilo(Milo Janáč). She has also broughtinterviews with authors and excerpts from literature to Ukrainian readers. These can be found in the journalor on the.
Iryna Pushkar will introduce herself together with Martin Šimečka inBanskáŠtiavnica, at a public discussion organizedby theTrojica AIRresidency.We will bring further information and details about the event soon.
Meanwhile, here is a short interview with Iryna.
Why did you choose to translate Dobrakovová'sMatky a kamionisti and Šimečka'sձá ýDZ? How can these particular titles be interesting to Ukrainian readers?
I have been introduced tothe work of IvanaDobrakovováin 2011, when I first visited Bratislava and bought her bookPrvá smrť v rodine / First Death in the Family. I've been a fan of her work since. I cross myfingers that her book comes out in Ukraine and that Ukrainian readers have the chance to get acquainted with aunique fiction writer who writesabout obsessions, anxieties and social exclusion, about deficit and existential emptiness. Most importantly,Ivana Dobrakovová presents the theme ofanti-motherhood anddisturbs the stereotype of theidealmother.
I have gotten to knowMartinM. Šimečka's writing thanks toPeterBalko, who gave me the bookLiteratúra bodka.sk at TheInternational Book Arsenal inKyiv– it featured Šimečka's esayOtec / Father. My fascination with the author's work began as I was reading the essay. I enjoy translating his books.
Martin M. Šimečka is one of ia's most famous authors;aside from that,Ukrainian readers already know his bookMedzi slovakmi / Among the s.The bookձá ýDZ/ Physical Education could be interesting for the Ukrainians, because its subject is fashionable and popular: physical education and its influence on the body, mind and soul. The author also offers interesting facts from his own life, as well as extraordinary examples from the fields of philosophy and sports.
As you are working on these translations, what are the most challenging issues? Do you communicate with the authors when you have questions about the text?
Regardless of the book I'm translating, the biggest challenge for me is slang, dialect and Hungarian words. I always communicate with authors when I'm translating their books. Even the best translator does not know everything.
Does the residency suit your work? Are you able to concentrate better?
To work in such quietude in such an interesting town amidst beautiful mountains is probablyevery translator's dream. When you don't need to pay attention to house work, children and relatives. When the whole day belongs to you and your work– yes, it's the ideal place that allows mi to concentrate on my work. I am very grateful to LIC and to the town ofBanská Štiavnica for the opportunity to work surrounded by such beauty!
What else are you working on these days?
I have already selected certain books that I would like to translate into Ukrainian, but I won't name them before I have an agreement with a publisher. I can only hint at the genre: it's gonna be crime or horror. I am also interested in science fiction for children and young adults.
