Cosmic Year

11 January 2021

Science fiction novels and short stories, realist prose, futurist and philosophical essays, articles, letters, autobiography… In 2021, we’ll immerse ourselves in the writings of Poland’s legendary author Stanisław Lem.

“Good books tell the truth, even when they’re about things that never have been and never will be. They’re truthful in a different way. When they talk about outer space, they make you feel the silence, so unlike the Earthly kind”, according to Pirx the Pilot, protagonist created by Poland’s finest SF author. In 2021, declared as Stanisław Lem Year by the Polish parliament, we celebrate the centenary of the great writer’s birth. Over the next twelve months, we’ll explore his writings in the literary context as well as during theatre, music, film and academic events held throughout Poland. Kraków joins in with the celebrations at events from the Children’s Literature Festival to Sacrum Profanum – after all Lem made our city his home for over 50 years! The anniversary culminates with Lem’s Birthday held between 12 and 14 September at the ICE Kraków Congress Centre. You can find full information on events and initiatives held as part of the anniversary celebrations on the specially designed website roklema.pl.

2021 will also serve as a prelude to extensive discussions on the subject of the author and his work, moving from bookshops and lecture rooms to the brand-new Planet Lem Centre of Literature and Language. The venue features a multifunctional literary centre and state-of-the-art exhibition space. Construction work on this unique space, combined with the revitalisation of the former Salt Warehouse in Zabłocie, is planned to start in 2021. Until the opening of Planet Lem, the centre showcasing the author’s works will be the Potocki Palace, also serving as the new headquarters of the UNESCO Kraków City of Literature Team from January onwards. (Anna Mazur, "Karnet" magazine)

www.roklema.pl
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