Limburg’s literary conversations tackle the meaning of family
Now in its eighth edition, Zin in Zomer gathers well-known Flemish authors for a series of talks in Hasselt, Genk and Sint-Truiden
A taste for summer
That’s the theme behind this year’s Zin in Zomer, a series of literary conversations in unusual places that takes place over the last two weeks of August in Hasselt, Genk and Sint-Truiden.
The various events are built around a conversation between a well-known Flemish author and one or more interviewers or collaborators. The talk is usually accompanied by a musical performance or some other cultural component.
The festival’s name is a double-entendre. A zin in Dutch is a sentence, so on the one hand, it refers to the literary character of the events. But to have zin in something also means to feel like doing something, to have a taste or preference for it. So, zin in zomer also means “a taste for summer”.
The series opens with a performance by poet Bart Moeyaert and multi-instrumentalist Tijs Delbeke. The two were paired up for a Radio 1 programme and wrote a love song together, which they’ll perform live.
Moeyaert (pictured left) wrote the lyrics and Delbeke (right) the music. Moeyaert has said that his dearest wish is for couples to play the song as the opening dance at their wedding.
Talk it out
The pair will talk about their collaboration in the atrium of Genk’s public library, a soaring, glass-clad space that’s a favourite meeting place for the city’s residents. The ultra-modern library was the last design project of French architect Claude Visconi, who died in 2009, and forms the focal point of the city’s central square.
A few days later, in Hasselt, Dutch writer Adriaan van Dis will discuss his novel Ik kom terug (I’ll Be Back) with journalist Anna Luyten, a regular interviewer for the festival. The award-winning book is based on van Dis’ difficult – and sometimes comic – relationship with his mother.
During their conversation, Carll Cneut, one of the most highly esteemed children’s book illustrators in Flanders, will draw live onstage, and his drawings will be projected onto a screen for all to see. This event will take place in the auditorium of the city hospital.
Her family was religious, and she always had to deal with the tante-nonnekes, as we call them – the nuns
“For each presentation, we try to find an interesting location,” says Marijke Rekkers of Villa Verbeelding, which co-ordinates the festival. “The presentation with author Lieve Joris will take place in the chapel of the former Clarissen cloister in Hasselt, because her family was religious, and she always had to deal with the tante-nonnekes, as we call them – the nuns.”
In addition, there is a related activity before each event for a limited number of participants. For the festival opener, which centres on a love song, it’s a workshop centred on herbs and love in a pop-up garden.
For the interview with the novelist about his mother, there’s a guided tour of the exhibition Mother and Child in the former school for midwives. “We combine things so that people have a whole, complete evening,” explains Rekkers, adding that sometime food and drink are also available.
Wide audience
There are seven events in all, organised by Villa Verbeelding (Imagination Villa), the former Literary Museum in Hasselt. The other partners are the cultural centres and the three city’s libraries.
Now in its eighth year, Zin in Zomer has proven quite popular. “The target audience is anyone who likes to read or to discover new places, who wants to have a cultural experience or to hear an interesting interview,” Rekkers says. “Actually, it’s meant for a very wide audience.”
And while most of the events are for adults, there is one event for all ages, with Flemish author Jef Aerts, whose award-winning books for children often revolve around family and friendship.
The festival closes with travel writer Lieve Joris, whose books have been translated into several languages, including English. The interview will be accompanied by musical interludes from gypsy jazz band Les rideaux de ma grand-mère.
17-30 August, across Hasselt, Genk and Sint-Truiden
Photo: Elisabeth Van Lierop
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