Vladimir Arsenijevic
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Arsenijević is a Serbia
n writer, translator, editor, musician, and publicist.
In his early youth, Arsenijević (nicknamed Vlajsa) played with a punk band called Urbana Gerila
as well as its post-punk offshoot Berliner Strasse.
After graduating high school and completing the mandatory military
service in 1985, Arsenijević moved to London at the age of 20. He came back to Belgrade four years later in 1989.
He won the 1994 NIN
-award, thus becoming the youngest ever recipient of this prestigious prize with his first novel In the Hold (U potpalublju). This was the very first debut book ever rewarded with this prize. This anti-war book, which takes place during the Battle of Vukovar
, was soon translated into 20 languages and placed Arsenijević almost instantly among the most translated Serbian writers. It was also staged as a play in the Yugoslav Drama Theatre
by theater director Nikita Milivojević. Simultaneously, Arsenijević supplemented his income by working as a guide in Kontiki tourist agency.
Since then, Arsenijević has published four other novels.
As the NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia
began in March 1999, Arsenijević was in Belgrade, but got out some two months later in May via an invitation from the France-based International Parliament of Writers to spend some time in Mexico City
. He stayed in Mexico until September 2000 where in addition to writing he also played in a band called Los Armstrings. Upon returning home to Belgrade, his third book Meksiko ratni dnevnik got published.
He is a well-known editor who formed and developed the RENDE publishing house, where he worked as its editor-in-chief from its foundation until 2007.
From 2007 until 2010 he wrote a column in Politika
daily. In March 2008, weeks after Albanians from the Serbian southern province of Kosovo
unilaterally declared independence
, his text in which he came out in support of the move while urging Serbia to recognize its secessionist province as an independent state got a lot of reaction in Serbia.
Currently, he is employed as an editor at VBZ Beograd, a Belgrade
arm of Croatian publishing house VBZ. He lives and works in Belgrade.
From April 2011, Arsenijević began writing a column in the Serbian daily newspaper Press
. The entry that garnered most reaction was his text about late Momo Kapor
. In it Arsenijević writes about a July 1995 encounter with the famous author on the Greek island of Thassos. Thirty-year-old Arsenijević was there working as a tourist guide while 58-year-old Kapor was on vacation with his wife. Arsenijević recounts certain details of their quick conversation (the two had just met) pertaining to Arsenijević's then budding writing career and his recent award-winning novel U potpalublju whose story takes place during the Battle of Vukovar
. Based on their conversation, Arsenijević labels Kapor "the king of all sociopaths" while quoting him as having supposedly said: "You've got no reason to feel sorry for that city. You understand. What that city was was the simplest form of provincial baroque
. Practically nothing. Yes, Vukovar is nothing". Two months later in mid-November 2011, Arsenijević appeared on HRT's talk show Nedjeljom u 2 for the twentieth anniversary of the fall of Vukovar. Before even introducing his guest by name, host Aleksandar Stanković engaged Arsenijević in a lengthy recounting of his encounter with Kapor, which Arsenijević once again concluded by labeling Kapor "a sociopath who was a fan of blood and death" and revealing a personal realization that "Kapor's political views in the years since the Yugoslav Wars
were not so much delivered from the platform of Serbian nationalism
, but from a sociopathic one". The rest of the program centered around Serbo-Croatian relations from the 1990s onward and Arsenijević used it to express personal dissatisfaction with things ranging from Serbian government's official policy towards the country's breakaway province of Kosovo to the overall atmosphere in the capital Belgrade by saying "if Europe were a kafana
, Belgrade would be that small smelly hallway that leads to the bathroom". Couple of days after the show aired, Arsenijević got fired by Press due to "financial crisis", though many speculated that the real reason for his dismissal were his comments on Nedjeljom u 2.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n writer, translator, editor, musician, and publicist.
In his early youth, Arsenijević (nicknamed Vlajsa) played with a punk band called Urbana Gerila
Urbana gerila
Urbana Gerila was a former Yugoslav punk rock and New Wave band from Belgrade. The band is notable as the participant of the Artistička radna akcija project in 1981...
as well as its post-punk offshoot Berliner Strasse.
After graduating high school and completing the mandatory military
Yugoslav People's Army
The Yugoslav People's Army , also referred to as the Yugoslav National Army , was the military of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.-Origins:The origins of the JNA can...
service in 1985, Arsenijević moved to London at the age of 20. He came back to Belgrade four years later in 1989.
He won the 1994 NIN
NIN (magazine)
NIN is a weekly newsmagazine published in Belgrade, Serbia. Its name is an acronym for Nedeljne informativne novine which roughly translates into Weekly Informational Newspaper....
-award, thus becoming the youngest ever recipient of this prestigious prize with his first novel In the Hold (U potpalublju). This was the very first debut book ever rewarded with this prize. This anti-war book, which takes place during the Battle of Vukovar
Battle of Vukovar
The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army , supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Baroque town was a prosperous, mixed community of Croats,...
, was soon translated into 20 languages and placed Arsenijević almost instantly among the most translated Serbian writers. It was also staged as a play in the Yugoslav Drama Theatre
Yugoslav drama theatre
Yugoslav drama theatre is a theatre in Belgrade, Serbia. The theatre was established in 1947 with an intention of consolidating actors and writers from all over the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
by theater director Nikita Milivojević. Simultaneously, Arsenijević supplemented his income by working as a guide in Kontiki tourist agency.
Since then, Arsenijević has published four other novels.
As the NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
began in March 1999, Arsenijević was in Belgrade, but got out some two months later in May via an invitation from the France-based International Parliament of Writers to spend some time in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. He stayed in Mexico until September 2000 where in addition to writing he also played in a band called Los Armstrings. Upon returning home to Belgrade, his third book Meksiko ratni dnevnik got published.
He is a well-known editor who formed and developed the RENDE publishing house, where he worked as its editor-in-chief from its foundation until 2007.
From 2007 until 2010 he wrote a column in Politika
Politika
Politika is a Serbian newspaper. It is considered the newspaper of record and is the oldest daily in the Balkans, having been founded on January 25, 1904 by Vladislav Ribnikar. It is currently being published by Politika Newspapers and Magazines , a joint venture between Politika AD and...
daily. In March 2008, weeks after Albanians from the Serbian southern province of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
unilaterally declared independence
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence was adopted on 17 February 2008 by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo acting in personal capacity and not binding to the Assembly itself...
, his text in which he came out in support of the move while urging Serbia to recognize its secessionist province as an independent state got a lot of reaction in Serbia.
Currently, he is employed as an editor at VBZ Beograd, a Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
arm of Croatian publishing house VBZ. He lives and works in Belgrade.
From April 2011, Arsenijević began writing a column in the Serbian daily newspaper Press
Press (newspaper)
Press is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Belgrade.Press Publishing Group also owns a daily aimed at businesspeople called Biznis, as well as a lifestyle weekly magazine Lola and a glossy monthly magazine called FAME...
. The entry that garnered most reaction was his text about late Momo Kapor
Momo Kapor
Momčilo "Momo" Kapor was a Serbian novelist, painter, and short story writer.. Several successful films have been based upon his novels. He was born in Sarajevo, Kingdom of Yugoslavia and died in Belgrade, Serbia.Kapor was born in Sarajevo in 1937 and graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in...
. In it Arsenijević writes about a July 1995 encounter with the famous author on the Greek island of Thassos. Thirty-year-old Arsenijević was there working as a tourist guide while 58-year-old Kapor was on vacation with his wife. Arsenijević recounts certain details of their quick conversation (the two had just met) pertaining to Arsenijević's then budding writing career and his recent award-winning novel U potpalublju whose story takes place during the Battle of Vukovar
Battle of Vukovar
The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army , supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Baroque town was a prosperous, mixed community of Croats,...
. Based on their conversation, Arsenijević labels Kapor "the king of all sociopaths" while quoting him as having supposedly said: "You've got no reason to feel sorry for that city. You understand. What that city was was the simplest form of provincial baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
. Practically nothing. Yes, Vukovar is nothing". Two months later in mid-November 2011, Arsenijević appeared on HRT's talk show Nedjeljom u 2 for the twentieth anniversary of the fall of Vukovar. Before even introducing his guest by name, host Aleksandar Stanković engaged Arsenijević in a lengthy recounting of his encounter with Kapor, which Arsenijević once again concluded by labeling Kapor "a sociopath who was a fan of blood and death" and revealing a personal realization that "Kapor's political views in the years since the Yugoslav Wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
were not so much delivered from the platform of Serbian nationalism
Serbian nationalism
Serbian nationalism refers to the ethnic nationalism of Serbs. Originally arising in the context of the general rise of nationalism in the Balkans under Ottoman rule, under the influence of Serbian linguist Vuk Stefanović Karadžić and Ilija Garašanin....
, but from a sociopathic one". The rest of the program centered around Serbo-Croatian relations from the 1990s onward and Arsenijević used it to express personal dissatisfaction with things ranging from Serbian government's official policy towards the country's breakaway province of Kosovo to the overall atmosphere in the capital Belgrade by saying "if Europe were a kafana
Kafana
Kafana , kafeana , kavana are terms used in the former Yugoslav countries for a distinct type of local bistro which primarily serves alcoholic beverages and coffee , and which sometimes also has a live band.The concept of a social gathering place for men to drink...
, Belgrade would be that small smelly hallway that leads to the bathroom". Couple of days after the show aired, Arsenijević got fired by Press due to "financial crisis", though many speculated that the real reason for his dismissal were his comments on Nedjeljom u 2.