Joan Margarit i Consarnau
Encyclopedia
Joan Margarit i Consarnau (ʒuˈan mərɣəˈɾit i kunsərˈnaw) (born in Sanaüja
, May 11, 1938) is a Catalan
poet, architect and retired Professor.
Born to the parents of Joan Margarit i Serradell, an architect from Barcelona and Trinitat Consarnau i Sabaté, a teacher at l'Ametlla de Mar
(Tarragona), he grew up at the time of the Spanish Civil War
and the Second World War. His family moved many times around Catalonia. In 1954 the family settled at the Canary Islands
, but in 1956 Margarit returned to Barcelona to complete architecture studies, lodging at the University Hall of Residence the Collegi Major Sant Jordi. It would be a year after he finished his studies that Joan would meet his future wife, Mariona Ribalta. A year later, they were married (1963). They now have three daughters; Mònica, Anna & Joana, and a son, Carlos.
Since 1975, Margarit has lived in Sant Just Desvern
. Since 1980 he has worked there as an architect with friend and associate Carle Buxadé. In addition to that, from 1968 until recently, he was also Professor of Structural Calculations at Barcelona's Technical School of Architecture in the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
Since 1963, Magrit has firmly established himself as a recognisable Spanish poet. Margarit first started publishing poetry in Spanish
, in 1963 and 1965. After a break of ten years, he published Crónica, with help of his friend Joaquim Marco, director of the Ocnos series at the publishing house Barral Editores. From 1980 onwards, he began to establish himself as a poet in the Catalan language
. His works were translated to English
, Russian
and Hebrew
. Recitations of Margarit's poems with musical backdrop were recorded by the musicians Pere Rovira, Gerard Quintana
, Araceli Aiguaviva and Miquel Poveda.
מבט במראה הפנימית (A look in the inner mirror). Shlomo Avayou, Keshev Publishing House, Tel Aviv, 2008
Sanaüja
Sanaüja is a village in the province of Lleida and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain....
, May 11, 1938) is a Catalan
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
poet, architect and retired Professor.
Born to the parents of Joan Margarit i Serradell, an architect from Barcelona and Trinitat Consarnau i Sabaté, a teacher at l'Ametlla de Mar
L'Ametlla de Mar
L'Ametlla de Mar , also called la Cala , is a municipality within the comarca of Baix Ebre, situated in the coastal region between the "Cap de Terme" and the "barranc de l'Àliga"...
(Tarragona), he grew up at the time of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and the Second World War. His family moved many times around Catalonia. In 1954 the family settled at the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
, but in 1956 Margarit returned to Barcelona to complete architecture studies, lodging at the University Hall of Residence the Collegi Major Sant Jordi. It would be a year after he finished his studies that Joan would meet his future wife, Mariona Ribalta. A year later, they were married (1963). They now have three daughters; Mònica, Anna & Joana, and a son, Carlos.
Since 1975, Margarit has lived in Sant Just Desvern
Sant Just Desvern
Sant Just Desvern is a town near Barcelona, in the comarca of the Baix Llobregat, Catalonia,....
. Since 1980 he has worked there as an architect with friend and associate Carle Buxadé. In addition to that, from 1968 until recently, he was also Professor of Structural Calculations at Barcelona's Technical School of Architecture in the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
Since 1963, Magrit has firmly established himself as a recognisable Spanish poet. Margarit first started publishing poetry in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, in 1963 and 1965. After a break of ten years, he published Crónica, with help of his friend Joaquim Marco, director of the Ocnos series at the publishing house Barral Editores. From 1980 onwards, he began to establish himself as a poet in the Catalan language
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
. His works were translated to English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
. Recitations of Margarit's poems with musical backdrop were recorded by the musicians Pere Rovira, Gerard Quintana
Gerard Quintana
Gerard Quintana Rodeja is a Catalan singer, songwriter, poet, writer, actor, and radio and TV personality. He came to prominence in 1986-2001 as the lead singer of the Catalan rock/pop group Sopa de Cabra. Since the dissolution of the band in 2001, he has pursued a very successful solo career...
, Araceli Aiguaviva and Miquel Poveda.
Prizes
In October 2008, Magrit received the Premio Nacional de Poesía por Casa de Misericordia.Essays in Spanish
- Nuevas cartas a un joven poeta (New Letters to a Young Poet), Barril & Barral, 2009. English translation by Christopher Maurer, Chicago, Swan Isle Press, 2011.
Poetry in Catalan
- L'ombra de l'altre mar Barcelona: Edicions 62, 1981
- Vell malentès València: Eliseu Climent/3i4, 1981 (Premi Vicent Andrés Estellés de poesia)
- El passat i la joia Vic: Eumo, 1982
- Cants d'Hekatònim de Tifundis Barcelona: La Gaia Ciència, 1982
- Raquel: la fosca melangia de Robinson Crusoe Barcelona: Edicions 62, 1983
- L'ordre del temps Barcelona: Edicions 62, 1985
- Mar d'hivern Barcelona: Proa, 1986
- Cantata de Sant Just Alacant: Institut d'Estudis Juan Gil-Albert, 1987
- La dona del navegant Barcelona: La Magrana, 1987
- Llum de plua Barcelona: Península, 1987
- Poema per a un fris Barcelona: Escola d'Arquitectes de Barcelona, 1987
- Edat roja Barcelona: Columna, 1990
- Els motius del llop Barcelona: Columna, 1993
- Aiguaforts Barcelona: Columna, 1995
- Remolcadors entre la boira Argentona: L'Aixernador, 1995; translated to English as Tugs in the Fog, Anna Crowe (Bloodaxe BooksBloodaxe BooksBloodaxe Books is a British publishing house specialising in poetry.-History:It was founded in 1978 in Newcastle upon Tyne by Neil Astley, who is still editor and managing director. Joined in 1982 by chairman Simon Thirsk, Astley was later awarded an honorary D.Litt by Newcastle University in 1995...
, 2006) - Estació de França Madrid: Hiperión, 1999
- Poesia amorosa completa (1980–2000) Barcelona: Proa, 2001
- Joana Barcelona: Proa, 2002
- Els primers freds. Poesia 1975-1995 Barcelona: Proa, 2004
- Càlcul d’estructures Barcelona: Col. Óssa Menor, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2005
- Casa de Misericòrdia Barcelona: Col. Óssa Menor, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2007
- Misteriosament feliç Barcelona: Col. Óssa Menor, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2008
- Noves cartes a un jove poeta Barcelona: Col. Óssa Menor, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2009
- No era lluny ni difícil Barcelona: Col. Óssa Menor, Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2010
Other translated works
- To Russian:
- Огни мгновений (Flames of the Moments), Saint Petersburg State University, 2003
- To English:
- Tugs in the Fog: Selected Poems, tr. Anna Crowe, Bloodaxe BooksBloodaxe BooksBloodaxe Books is a British publishing house specialising in poetry.-History:It was founded in 1978 in Newcastle upon Tyne by Neil Astley, who is still editor and managing director. Joined in 1982 by chairman Simon Thirsk, Astley was later awarded an honorary D.Litt by Newcastle University in 1995...
, 2006 - Strangely Happy, tr. Anna Crowe, Bloodaxe BooksBloodaxe BooksBloodaxe Books is a British publishing house specialising in poetry.-History:It was founded in 1978 in Newcastle upon Tyne by Neil Astley, who is still editor and managing director. Joined in 1982 by chairman Simon Thirsk, Astley was later awarded an honorary D.Litt by Newcastle University in 1995...
, 2011- To Hebrew:
- מעולם לא ראיתי את עצמי יווני (I Have Never Seen Myself as a Greek), Shlomo Avayou, Keshev Publishing House, Tel Aviv, 2004
מבט במראה הפנימית (A look in the inner mirror). Shlomo Avayou, Keshev Publishing House, Tel Aviv, 2008