Eva Meijer
(Netherlands, 1980) is a visual artist, philosopher, writer and singer-songwriter. After publishing short stories and poetry in Dutch literary magazines, her debut novel Het schuwste dier (The Shiest Animal), about coping with a sudden death, appeared in 2011. In Dagpauwoog (Day Peacock Eye, 2013), the protagonist lands in a grey area between idealism and terror due to a love of animals. Het vogelhuis (The Birdhouse, 2016) portrays the profound passion for birds of the British Gwendolen Howard. De soldaat was een dolfijn (The Soldier was a Dolphin), an essay about political animals, came out in 2017. In 2018, Meijer was awarded the Halewijn Prize for her oeuvre. After a philosophical treatise on depression, De grenzen van mijn taal (The Limits of my Language), the novel Voorwaarts (Onward), and the academic study When Animals Speak: Towards an Interspecies Democracy (all 2019), she published the 2020 novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), a magical-realist murder mystery.
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Archive available for: Eva Meijer
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What happens when the water comes?
With: Eva Meijer, Mirthe Frese, Mounir Samuel
What happens when the water comes? What if the Netherlands really does flood? A welcome topic for climate novels, but perhaps a cliché by now. Do we still get scared by such messages? How do you write about climate change in a way that really grabs the reader's attention?
On the basis of two recently published books - Zee nu by Eva Meijer and Jona zonder walvis by Mounir Samuel - we will discuss this on Tuesday 19 April. Both authors proclaim, in their own way, the 'inconvenient truth' about the climate that just doesn't seem to get through to us. Whereas Eva Meijer wanted to write 'a book for the Netherlands' through fiction, Jona zonder walvis is a more essayistic, personal approach to the climate crisis. Both books are wonderful examples of how writers can capture the urgent reality with pen and paper.
With Eva Meijer, Mounir Samuel and Mirthe Frese (moderator). Afterwards there will be book sales and signings.
What if the water comes?
Date: Tuesday 19 April 2022
Starts: 20:30, doors open at 20:00
Tickets: €11 (regular), €8 (library card, CJP and Ooievaarspas), free admission for students, schoolchildren and We Are Public-members.
Location: Studio B, Central Library, Spui 68, The Hague.
Dutch language program.Program compiled by Joëlle Koorneef (Writers Unlimited). Book sale by De Vries Van Stockum Books.
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Erfstukken
With: Annemarie Estor, Babah Tarawally, Babeth Fonchie, Eva Meijer, Fleur Kotten, Jens Meijen, Jessica Bacuna, Kenneth Aidoo, Mignon Nusteling, Rachel Sender
At the request of Writers Unlimited, five authors wrote a letter to a family member of another generation asking: "What concern or fear about this time would you like to present to a family member in the past or in the future?" Five artists responded to the letters and created an unique illustration. Graphic designer Herman van Bostelen turned it into a paper gem: from leporello to postcard.
We launch the analogue issue (in Dutch only) of Inheritance with an online program. Enjoy the conversations with four authors and illustrators involved: Eva Meijer, Fleur Kotten, Babeth Fonchie and Jessica Bacuna talk about the special collaboration from our favorite bookshop in The Hague, De Vries Van Stockum. (Dutch spoken)
With: authors Annemarie Estor, Babeth Fonchie, Jens Meijen, Eva Meijer and Babah Tarawally and artists Mignon Nusteling, Jessica Bacuna, Rachel Sender, Fleur Kotten and Kenneth Aidoo. Read the English translation via our site. Paper edition (in Dutch) available (€7,50) via The Haguestore or webshop De Vries Van Stockum.
Read and watch the English translations of Inheritance:
- Annemarie Estor and Mignon Nusteling
- Babeth Fonchie and Jessica Bacuna
- Jens Meijen and Rachel Sender
- Eva Meijer and Fleur Kotten
- Babah Tarawally and Kenneth Aidoo
Program concept: Joëlle Koorneef (Writers Unlimited)
Design: Herman van Bostelen
Book sales: De Vries Van Stockum Boeken
Videoregistration: Wilbert Eerland -
Eva Meijer: Depression in Times of Madness - #SoulCare
With: Eva Meijer, Gerlinda Heywegen
Just as clearly as in her essay De grenzen van mijn taal, een klein filosofisch onderzoek naar depressie (The borders of my language, a small philosophical study about depression, published by Cossee, 2019) writer Eva Meijer talks about depression in this Winternachten festival programme by Gerlinda Heywegen. On the basis of some film fragments in which depression plays a role, Meijer indicates, among other things, the role language plays in thinking about and showing depression.
Eva Meijer's essay is not a self-help book, autobiographical report or medical publication. She says in this interview: 'I wanted to do something different. I wanted to explore the meaning of depression. I am particularly interested in what the experience of depression actually is. How does it feel to be depressed and can you explain that to others? With the help of language and philosophers and artists, I wanted to capture some of that meaning. The experience of depression, also my own, is central in this."
Winternachten international literature festival The Hague 2021 had as its theme It's up to us. In January of that year writers, poets and word artists from The Netherlands and abroad showed in live streamed programmes how they pay attention in their work to issues like climate justice, women's rights, soul care and activism.
Eva Meijer (Netherlands) is a visual artist, philosopher, writer and singer-songwriter. After publishing short stories and poetry in Dutch literary magazines, her debut novel Het schuwste dier (The Shyest Animal), about coping with a sudden death, appeared in 2011. In Dagpauwoog (Day Peacock's Eye, 2013), the protagonist ends up in a grey area between idealism and terror due to a love of animals. Het vogelhuis (The Birdhouse, 2016) portrays the profound passion for birds of a British woman, Gwendolen Howard. De soldaat was een dolfijn (The Soldier was a Dolphin), an essay about political animals, came out in 2017. In 2018, Meijer was awarded the Halewijn Prize for her oeuvre. After a philosophical treatise on depression, De grenzen van mijn taal (The Limits of my Language), the novel Voorwaarts (Onward), and the academic study When Animals Speak: Towards an Interspecies Democracy (all in 2019), she published the novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), a magical-realist murder mystery, in 2020.
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It's Up to Us & PEN Award
With: Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Jaap Tielbeke, Mirthe Frese, Raoul de Jong, Salena Godden, Samanta Schweblin, Simon(e) van Saarloos, Tsitsi Dangarembga
"It's up to us" is a statement made by philosopher, songwriter and author Eva Meijer in a radio program, as she was speaking about her novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), which deals with the climate crisis. It's no longer up to you, the individual, to make the difference, but up to us. This statement became the theme of this online edition of the Winternachten Festival. But we also pose the question of which "us" we are talking about. Who is we?
We discussed this matter with writers Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Samanta Schweblin, moderated by Mirthe Frese.
0:00 - Intro.
1:52 - Arnon Grunberg (Netherlands), opening statement.
11:13 - Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong (Netherlands), intro discussion
12:21 - Eva Meijer, recitation
14:01 - Raoul de Jong, discussion and recitation
17:16 - Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, discussion
32:11- Raoul de Jong, recitation
33:12 - Salena Godden (UK), spoken word
39:28 - Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), interview
52:57 - Simon(e) van Saarloos, performance
1:00:40 - Samanta Schweblin (Germany), interview.
1:11:52 - Jaap Tielbeke (Netherlands), performance.
1:16:58 - Arnon Grunberg, interview.
1:21:43 - Tsitsi Dangarembga, life and work video
1:30:08 - PEN Award for Tsitsi Dangarembga.Arnon Grunberg opened the discussion by a statement from New York. In his speech on Remembrance Day in The Netherlands, Grunberg made it clear that we must take a good long look at ourselves; racism is deeply rooted in our culture. Our "we" is still far from inclusive.
In connection with his new novel Jaguarman, Raoul de Jong told Dutch daily de Volkskrant that, currently, one is often expected to feel like the representative of a group. He prefers to stay true to his own rhythm and message.
The Zimbabwean writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, taking part from Harare, spoke about what "we" means to her in Zimbabwe's current postwar society. Dangarembga's novel This Mourning Body was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.
With the Argentinean author Samanta Schweblin, Mirthe Frese talked about the interconnectedness of mankind, and about humanity in an era of new technologies. These appear to form a new universal language between people. In her novel Little Eyes Schweblin investigates how technology creates togetherness and alienation.
To broaden the sense of "we", the Winternachten Festival asked three authors to write a dedicated contribution about the Winternachten festival theme. We saw and heard, from here or far away, Salena Godden, Simon(e) van Saarloos and Jaap Tielbeke. From whose idea of "we" do they want to make a difference? What is needed to feel a sense of "us"? And is it even really up to us? Arnon Grunberg concluded by reflecting on the conversations and sharing his thoughts.
Following this discussion, the PEN Award for Freedom of Expression was handed out to Tsitsi Dangarembga. With The PEN Award, in a co-production with PIP The Hague that supports the Award, writers organisation PEN International honours authors who seek and speak out the truth risking their freedom and lives.
Read here the contributions written for this programme on request of the Winternachten international literature festival The Hague:
- The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
- A different kind of we | Eva Meijer
- Letter to My Younger Self | Jaap Tielbeke
- Everything is Anana | Raoul de Jong
- We could be Heroes | Salena Godden
- I have little time and lots to say | Simon(e) van Saarloos
(Find the Dutch-language versions here/Lees hier de Nederlandstalige versies)Learn more here:
Tsitsi Dangarembga
"Life in an 'ever narrowing Zimbabwe'", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Al-Jazeera, 2020
Video: "Being shorlisted for the Booker Prize changed my life", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, France24, 2020
Salena Godden
website
Video: Salena Godden recites her poem The Letter from the collection Pessimism is for Lightweights, ArtHouse Jersey, 2020
Video: Salena Godden, spoken-word performance I want to be your wife, lead track of her newly released The Lockdown EP, Nymphs & Thugs, 2020Arnon Grunberg
website
Video: conversation with Arnon Grunberg about what the covid19-pandemic means for our society and democracy, De Balie Live, 2020Raoul de Jong
website
Audio: interview with Raoul de Jong about his novel Jaguarman, Radio Rijnmond, 2020Eva Meijer
website
Interview with Eva Meijer about De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Het Parool, 2020
Video: Interview with Eva Meijer about her book De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Kunststof, NPO Radio 1Simon(e) van Saarloos
website
Instagram
Audio The Asterisk Conversation #1 podcast: Simon(e) van Saarloos, Nalo Hopkinson, Tirsa With, Writers Unlimited, 2020Samanta Schweblin
Instagram
Video: Samanta Schweblin talks about her book Duizend ogen (Little Eyes, 2020)Jaap Tielbeke
Essays and articles by Jaap Tielbeke in De Groene Amsterdammer - The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
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Opening Night: It's Up to Us & PEN Award
With: Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Jaap Tielbeke, Mirthe Frese, Raoul de Jong, Salena Godden, Samanta Schweblin, Simon(e) van Saarloos, Tsitsi Dangarembga
"It's Up to Us" is a statement made by philosopher, songwriter and author Eva Meijer in a radio program, as she was speaking about her novel De nieuwe rivier (The New River), which deals with the climate crisis. It's no longer up to you, the individual, to make the difference, but up to us. This statement was chosen as the theme of this online edition of the Winternachten Festival. However, we pose the question of which "us" we are talking about. Who is we?
We discussed this matter with writers Arnon Grunberg, Eva Meijer, Raoul de Jong, Tsitsi Dangarembga and Samanta Schweblin, moderated by Mirthe Frese.
Arnon Grunberg opened the discussion with a statement from New York. In his Dutch Remembrance Day speech, Grunberg made it clear that we must take a good long look at ourselves; racism is deeply rooted in our culture. Our "we" is still far from inclusive.
In connection with his new novel Jaguarman, Raoul de Jong told the Dutch daily De Volkskrant that, these days, one is often expected to represent a group. He prefers to stay true to his own rhythm and message.
The Zimbabwean writer and filmmaker Tsitsi Dangarembga, taking part from Harare, spoke about what "we" means to her in Zimbabwe's current postwar society. Dangarembga's novel This Mourning Body was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.
The Argentinean author Samanta Schweblin spoke about the interconnectedness of mankind, and about humanity in an era of new technologies. These appear to form a new universal language between people. In her novel Little Eyes, Schweblin investigates how technology creates togetherness and alienation.
To broaden the sense of "we", the Winternachten Festival commissioned three authors to write a short piece on the Winternachten festival theme. From their own perspectives, we heard from Salena Godden, Simon(e) van Saarloos and Jaap Tielbeke. From whose idea of "we" do they intend to make a difference? What is needed to feel a sense of "us"? And is it even really up to us? To conclude, Arnon Grunberg reflected on the conversations and shared his thoughts.
Following this discussion, the PEN Award for Freedom of Expression was presented to Tsitsi Dangarembga. In a coproduction with PIP The Hague, which supports this prize, the writers' organization PEN International honours authors who currently seek out and speak the truth at risk to their freedom and lives with the PEN Award.
Watch a film portrait of Tsitsi Dangarembga here.You can read the contributions commissioned for this program by the Winternachten International Literature Festival The Hague here:
- The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg
- A Different Kind of We | Eva Meijer
- Letter to My Younger Self | Jaap Tielbeke
- Everything is Anana | Raoul de Jong
- We Could be Heroes | Salena Godden
- I Have Little Time and Lots to Say | Simon(e) van Saarloos
(Find the Dutch-language versions here/Lees hier de Nederlandstalige versies)More background:
Tsitsi Dangarembga
"Life in an 'ever narrowing Zimbabwe'", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, Al-Jazeera, 2020
Video: "Being shorlisted for the Booker Prize changed my life", interview with Tsitsi Dangarembga, France24, 2020
Salena Godden
website
Video: Salena Godden recites her poem The Letter from the collection Pessimism is for Lightweights, ArtHouse Jersey, 2020
Video: Salena Godden, spoken-word performance I want to be your wife, lead track of her newly released The Lockdown EP, Nymphs & Thugs, 2020Arnon Grunberg
website
Video: conversation with Arnon Grunberg about what the covid19 pandemic means for our society and democracy, De Balie Live, 2020Raoul de Jong
website
Audio: interview with Raoul de Jong about his novel Jaguarman, Radio Rijnmond, 2020Eva Meijer
website
Interview with Eva Meijer about De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Het Parool, 2020
Video: Interview with Eva Meijer about her book De nieuwe rivier (The New River), Kunststof, NPO Radio 1Simon(e) van Saarloos
website
Instagram
Audio The Asterisk Conversation #1 podcast: Simon(e) van Saarloos, Nalo Hopkinson, Tirsa With, Writers Unlimited, 2020Samanta Schweblin
Instagram
Video: Samanta Schweblin talks about her book Duizend ogen (Little Eyes, 2020)Jaap Tielbeke
Essays and articles by Jaap Tielbeke in De Groene Amsterdammer - The Religion of Group Identity | Arnon Grunberg