The Colombian Piedad Bonnett, Queen Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry

MEXICO CITY (apro).- According to the jury of the 33rd edition of the Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry, the Colombian poet and novelist Piedad Bonnett was chosen because her work “shows a solid and organized career, with great coherence in his poetic work.

In response, through Colombian media, the poet commented that she received the award in a surprising way and while she was undergoing respiratory therapy, in addition to describing her poetic work as intimate and about the everyday, she said:

“The voice that I have acquired over time and reading many poets and practicing poetry for many years that makes my voice change, but in some way it is the same as it was 30 years ago when I wrote my first books” .

Bonnett will receive the award from Queen Sofía in a ceremony to be held during the month of November. The Prize is endowed with 42,100 euros and the edition of an anthological collection of poems, academic conferences and study of the poet’s works by a professor from the University of Salamanca (US).

The recognition — delivered through the Salamanca University and National Heritage in Spain — has a large jury made up of the most prestigious cultural institutions in Spain, such as the US itself, the Royal Spanish Academy, the Cervantes Institute, the National Library of Spain, the winner of the 2023 edition (Gioconda Beli), and various writers, including the Mexican Jorge Volpi.

It was María Dolores Menéndez, manager of National Heritage, who said that Bonnett is:

“A current voice of reference in Ibero-American poetry with an elaborate treatment of language that allows him to approach life experience with depth and beauty and to respond with humanity to the tragedy of life. His poetry is luminous, even when it deals with burning themes, such as heartbreak, war, loss or mourning.

Regarding the poet, the director of the Cervantes Institute, Luis García Montero, stated that she is “one of the strongest voices in Ibero-American poetry who joins a dazzling list that this award brings to all readers.”

After the jury’s decision and the announcement of the winning poet, the auditorium of the Royal Collections Gallery holds the poetic evening ‘In the voice of its authors’ together with the winner of the award in 2023, Gioconda Belli, where they read fragments of his work Luis García Montero, Yolanda Castaño, Antonio Lucas and Raquel Lanseros.

With a degree in Philosophy and Letters from the Universidad de los Andes, where she has taught since 1981, and a master’s degree in Theory of Art and Architecture from the National University of Colombia, her poetry is made up of eight volumes:

Of circle and ashes (Ediciones Uniandes, 1989); Nobody at Home (Simón and Lola Gubereck Foundation, 1994); The thread of days (Colcultura, 1995); That sad animal (Editorial Norma, 1996), All lovers are warriors (1998); The tricks of the weak (Reading Point, 2004); Inheritances (Visor, 2008); Unsolicited Explanations (Visor, 2011) and The Inhabited (Visor, 2017).

Among his novels are “After everything” (2001), “For others is heaven” (2004), “It was always winter” (2007) and “The prestige of beauty” (2010). In 2013 he narrated the illness and suicide of his son in the testimonial book “What has no name.” In addition to her role as a playwright, such as “Gato fear hare”, “Que muerde el aire exterior”, “Sanseacabó”, “Se arrienda piece” and “Someday we will leave”.

And among his recognitions stand out the 11th House of America Award for American Poetry (2011), the Latin World Poets Award (2012), the José Lezama Lima Poetry Award (2014) and the Generation del 27 Poetry Award (2016).