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Þorsteinn frá Hamri is awarded the Jónas Hallgrímsson prize
One of Iceland's most revered and popular poets, Þorsteinn frá Hamri, was recently awarded the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize on Icelandic Language Day. The award was presented by the Education and Culture Secretary, Katrín Jakobsdóttir. Writers Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir, Kristján Árnason and Þórarinn Eldjárn, who formed the advisory committee, said in their citation:
“The advisory committee of the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize was unanimous in its nomination of the poet Þorsteinn frá Hamri on this occasion. Þorsteinn first raised his voice half a century ago and is among our most eminent poets. In the middle of the nuclear age, at the age of twenty, he wrote poetry in the ancient courtly mode alongside more modern and freer forms. Þorsteinn's formative years saw a clash between old and new poetic forms, and he has wrestled with these changes in a unique way. The old Icelandic poetic tradition has always been right at his core.”
Icelandic Language Day has been celebrated on Jónas Hallgrímsson's birthday, 16th November, since 1966. Þorsteinn's poems have been translated into many languages and have been published in anthologies all over the world.
His latest book of poetry Hvert orð er atvik (Each Word an Event) was published last year and was unanimously praised by the critics:
“Þorsteinn frá Hamri has published his best poetry book in many years, Hvert orð er atvik. This book is enormously powerful.”
Þröstur Helgason / Morgunblaðið
“It is virtually impossible to find fault with a work by someone who has gained such a phenomenal grasp on his art that it's beyond words to describe. [ ...] Þorsteinn frá Hamri is, simply, one of the very, very best of Icelandic poets, dead or alive, and will be as long as the Icelandic nation continues to exist. Hvert orð er atvik is yet further proof of this.”
* * * * ½ (four and a half stars)
Kristján H. Guðmundsson / DV