Maintenant #80 – Arnoud van Adrichem
Some scholars and critics argue that after 9/11 there is a revival of notions like sincerity, authenticity and genuineness. Even if we are moving beyond postmodernism, its concepts are still present in discussions about literature. These questions were asked in two issues of literary magazine Parmentier: ‘Right’ and ‘Left’. Here we examined the extent of the connection between politics and literature. How do writers respond to the rise to power of a radical right-wing populist party like the Party for Freedom? Do they feel more or less obliged to protest in their writings, or do they hold to a strictly autonomous notion of literature?
In the 80th of the Maintenant series, SJ Fowler interviews the Dutch poet Arnoud van Adrichem.
Corner
Breath defines the room, the roses get drunk in their vase.
Real people are a trend. We need to capitalise on that, sometime.
Imagine: a man and a woman. Imagine: a child. Imagine: a little rip.
This is an immeasurable talent — freshly plucked from the corner shop.
Our crew has been recording for days, but you’ll survive.
It could be anybody’s child. Our concept: flatter than the earth.
You bleach your skin and grab a sun bed. Each hue counts.
What happened to you could happen to anybody.
By Arnoud van Adrichem.