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Miriam Van hee awarded Ultima 2017 for Literature

Miriam Van hee was awarded the Ultima Award for Literature on 27 February 2018. The Ultimas are the Flemish Culture Awards. The poetry of Myriam Van hee has been translated into ten languages, and has previously been awarded, among others, the Jan Campert Prize and the Herman de Coninck Prize. In 1996, she was awarded the triennial Flemish State Prize for Poetry – at that time, the culture awards were still awarded on a genre-by-genre basis. This most recent award therefore marks the second time she has been awarded a state prize.

Poet Miriam Van hee

Her latest collection, ‘As If We Were Summoned Somewhere’ (Als werden wij ergens ontboden), was described by the Ultimas’ jury as “an undeniable crowning achievement in this author’s unique, somewhat hushed oeuvre”. The jury went on to say that it is “a collection that deserves recognition, attention, and many readers.”

The Ultimas of Flemish Culture are named after the bronze award that winners receive, ‘La Ultima Isla’, created by the artist Philip Aguirre. The sculpture portrays a floating cloud or rock, with a house and tree perched on top – archetypal elements that prompt the viewer to make a personal poetic reflection. In addition to the award, the laureates receive 10,000 euros.

Mar 1st, 2018