Ester Naomi Perquin‘s third poetry collection titled Cell Inspections (Celinspecties) has been awarded the VSB Poetry Prize, Holland’s most prestigious prize for poetry, worth 25,000 euros. The other nominees were H.H. ter Balkt, Luuk Gruwez, Sybren Polet and Menno Wigman.
The jury praised the “treacherous airy tone and unpredictable twists” which gives Perquin’s poetry “a stratified space”. Concluding, the jury recommends Cell Inspections to readers as
a staggeringly beautiful poetry collection of necessity, desire and magnificent failure.
Perquin (1980) debuted in 2007 with Napkins at Half Mast (Servetten halfstok), followed by On behalf of the other (Namens de ander, 2009) honored with the Anna Blaman Prize, the J.C. Bloem Prize and the Lucy C. en B.W van der Hoogt Prize. Previous winners of the VSB poetry prize are Tomas Lieske, Armando and Mustafa Stitou.
Recently the Dutch Foundation for Literature presented the brochure Ester Naomi Perquin. Promising young poet that includes a sample of thirteen of her poems translated into English (by Paul Vincent). This brochure is part of the Contemporary Dutch Poets-series, featuring a choice of today’s most interesting poets from the Netherlands. If you would like to receive more information or other brochures from this series, please contact Thomas Möhlmann.
Links:
- Brochure Ester Naomi Perquin Promising young poet
- Perquin in our Writers database
- VSB Poetry Prize (Dutch)
- Ester Naomi Perquin at Van Oorschot publishers (Dutch)
Links for the other nominees:
Suppose your illness were an animal. If you’re healthy the question / counts double. What animal would you rather your illness were not? / N.B.: the bad days must be counted too. (from: Survey)
