Meet internationally acclaimed Ukrainian writer Serhiy Zhadan in conversation with Danish translator and scholar Jon Kyst. Taking place as part of Bogforum 2026, the event explores Zhadan's literature, which addresses life in eastern Ukraine, questions of home and belonging, and experiences shaped by war and displacement. Zhadan is the recipient of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade (2022) and the Austrian State Prize for European Literature (2025).
Jon Kyst, who works as a translator in Kyiv, has rendered Zhadan's work into Danish – including "Jeg slukker lyset som den sidste: Nye fortællinger fra krigen", which brings together twelve interconnected stories about lives shaped by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
During the conversation, Zhadan and Kyst will discuss the experiences behind the writing, the challenges of literary translation, and how Ukrainian literature reaches Danish readers. The event features readings in Ukrainian and Danish, followed by audience questions.
