Andries Samuel
(South Africa, 1974) is the son of the writer and poet Antjie Krog. He studied architecture at the University of Cape Town and has worked in Tel Aviv and New York. He writes poems in which architecture plays an important role. Both the design and the construction of buildings fascinate him in his debut Wanpraktyk (Bad Practice). Samuel looks at human beings with the eye of the architect. In short: we have to work at ourselves constantly in order to survive in a world full of cruelty. Samuel's debut was praised in South Africa and shortlisted for the Ingrid Jonker Booker Prize for best poetry debut. In addition to working as an architect he also writes and translates. Andries Samuel is divorced with his ex-wife and daughter living in Tel Aviv. The first part of his book of poetry is dedicated to missing his daughter, who is growing up elsewhere.
Past events
My farther-farthest child
Two South African poets, mother Antjie Krog and son Andries Samuel recite poems about parents and (grand)children straight from the heart. Dutch singer Wende sings their poems and other songs. In English.
The Turning Point
Architect Andries Samuel, documentary maker and BBC reporter Aminatta Forna and building engineer Nihad Sirees decided to turn to fiction at a certain point in their lives. Mathijs Deen wants to know why. In English.
