Loftus Marais Wins the 2009 Ingrid Jonker Prize for Staan in die algemeen nader aan vensters

October 21st, 2009 by Ben - Editor

Alert! Loftus Marais has won the 2009 Ingrid Jonker Prize, an independent prize for debut poetry awarded by the Ingrid Jonker Trust, for his first digbundel, Staan in die algemeen nader aan vensters.

Marais wins R3000, plus the satisfaction of bagging the hat trick of debut awards: the Eugene Marais prize (shared with Ronelda S Kamfer, whose book, Noudat slapende honde, was a close second for the Jonker prize - see the press release below), the University of Johannesburg Prize and now the Ingrid Jonker.

“This is the prize you sort of fantasize about when you’re studying first year poetry,” Marais told BOOK SA after hearing the news. “When I quit film school and was feeling down, a friend of mine said to me, ‘No, you’re going to study with Marlene van Niekerk and you’re going to write a book of poems and you’re going to win the Ingrid Jonker prize, and everything will be fine.’ So I said, ‘OK, I’ll give it a go’.”

Last year’s winner was Megan Hall, for Fourth Child.

Here’s the official press release from the Ingrid Jonker Trust:

Renewal and irony without sarcasm wins 2009 Ingrid Jonker Prize
Loftus Marais’ Staan in die Algemeen Nader aan Vensters (Tafelberg, 2008) has won the Ingrid Jonker Prize for 2009.
Marais’ poetry is praised for its sophistication and craft, as well as for the use of irony that steers clear of sarcasm. One of the adjudicators sees the lyrical speaker in these poems as an inspired flâneur who, in conversation with an interlocutor, points out the absurdities in what passes as everyday life. Sharply intellectual and formal, Marais’ work is characterized as radical, divine jest; and yet, as another adjudicator points out, the volume reaches out to everyman because of its readability. The volume is also praised for the renewal it brings to Afrikaans poetry.
Two of the adjudicators noted how difficult the judging process was, and Ronelda S. Kamfer’s Noudat Slapende Honde (Kwela, 2008) was judged a very close second. Her poetry, says one adjudicator, is marked by a confessional style that burns a hole in the page. Says another member of the panel: “A completely under-lit part of the Afrikaans linguistic demographic speaks through her in a particularly strong voice in a manner as never before.”
The Ingrid Jonker Prize is awarded for debut poetry collections and is awarded every year, alternatively for work in English and Afrikaans. The prize will be presented to Marais on 28 November at this year’s Versindaba in Stellenbosch.
The adjudicators were Trienke Laurie, Petra Müller and Charl-Pierre Naudé.

And in Afrikaans:

Vernuwing en ironie sonder sarkasme wen 2009 Ingrid Jonker Prys
Loftus Marais se digbundel Staan in die Algemeen Nader aan Vensters (Tafelberg, 2008) is vanjaar die wenner van die Ingrid Jonker-prys.
Marais se poësie word aangeprys vir die gesofistikeerdheid en vernuf daarvan, asook vir die ironie wat terselfdertyd ontdaan is van sarkasme. Een beoordelaar sien die spreker as ‘n “geïnspireerde flâneur” wat aan ‘n veronderstelde gespreksgenoot die absurde in die alledaagse uitwys. Dieselfde beoordelaar bestempel ook hierdie poësie as sterk intellektueel en vormvas, en as “heilige spot”.
Nietemin, soos ‘n ander beoordelaar dit stel, is dit ‘n bundel wat tot Jan Alleman uitreik vanweë die leesbaarheid van die gedigte. Die bundel word ook aangeprys vir die vernuwing wat dit in die Afrikaanse digkuns bring.
Die beoordelaars het ook daarop gewys hoe moeilik dit was om ‘n wenner te kies, en beskou Ronelda S. Kamfer se Noudat Slapende Honde (Kwela, 2008) as ‘n baie sterk naaswenner. Haar poësie, sê een van die beoordelaars, word gekenmerk deur belydenis, “maar dan ‘n belyding wat ‘n gat deur die bladsy brand.” Nog ‘n beoordelaar stel dit so: “’n Totaal onderbeligte deel van die Afrikaanse taal-demografie praat deur haar in ‘n besondere sterk stem op ‘n manier soos nog nooit tevore nie.”
Die Ingrid Jonker-prys word elke jaar aan ‘n debuutbundel toegeken, alternatiewelik vir poësie in Afrikaans en Engels. Die prys sal op 28 November tydens die jaarlikse Versindaba op Stellenbosch aan Marais oorhandig word.
Trienke Laurie, Petra Müller and Charl-Pierre Naudé was die beoordelaars.

Veels geluk aan Loftus! Well done to the poet and hearty congratulations from BOOK SA.

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