A collection of Milan Kundera

A library in Brno in the Czech Republic, the hometown of writer Milan Kundera, has been set up a special department with books and photographs from the writer’s owned and his artwork is also planned to place.

Furthermore, there has been a cultural center called Kundera, which includes events related to European literature and culture. Friðrik Rafnsson has translated all Kundera books into Icelandic, but he looked at the museum in early March and gave a lecture on Kundera’s interest in Icelandic culture, history and language and how he appears in some of his books.

Kundera died just over three years ago, aged 94, and his wife, Vera, died last year. « Milan had tens of thousands of books, including all translations of his works. He also had a good painting collection and he himself drew somewhat.

Have a work by Kristján Davíðsson

The Czech National Library is headquartered in Prague and has a large branch in Brno, the Birth City of Kundera and the second largest city in the Czech Republic. A considerable part of the Brno Museum, which is intended as a book and photographic library, a bibliography and a database of Kundera, its life and works. The works of art that the couple owned, including works by Icelandic painter Kristján Davíðsson, will also be stored there and drawings by Kundera will be on display, but he was a fairly delay and some of the drawings have been used on his books around the world, including in Iceland.

He says that a policy on cultural activities in the museum is being defined.

« The intention is to be there with regular events about European culture, mainly literature, especially the novel that was Life and delight Milan, and get guests from here and from the world to discuss that topic. »

Visited Iceland first in 1992

In early March, Fridrik, together with the book publisher Jakobi F. Ásgeirsson, participated in the program in the Brno Museum where they talked about Kundera in Iceland, his book history and reception and discussion of his books in this country. Jakob has published quite a few works of Kundera in the translation of Fridrik with his book publisher Ugla.

« Before Kundera first came to Iceland in 1992, Iceland appeared in several places in his books and even more after that and I talked about it at this event, » says Fridrik.

« It was a very pleasant moment. Twenty people had been expected, but it was high for a hundred people, it was supposed to be an hour of schedule but turned two hours. There was clearly a lot of interest in Milan but the material was also curious. »

One of the projects in Brno is that foreign artists, including Icelandic, can stay in the city for a certain period of time and artists from there can come here to the country and stay in houses that the Icelandic Writers’ Association manages, for example in Gunnarshús or Gröndalshús.

Timeless artwork

« I also hope that the director of the museum, Tomas Kubicek, will come here to the country and introduce the activities and tell about this legacy and the cooperation with Iceland, France and Taiwan. Small nations in Central Europe and therefore they apply to Kundera’s work to understand it better.

I have traveled twice to Brno, a huge city, no less than the capital of Prague that many Icelanders know, and it is fun to see how much ambition is in keeping his name on the air. Now, for example, there is a competition for a monument that will be built on the grave of the Kundera couple, ”says Fridrik.

More detailed coverage can be found in the Sunday newspaper Morgunblaðið and in the new Mogga app.