Cyrille Offermans

(Sittard, 1945) is an essayist and critic. His many essays about subjects such as art, literature, cultural history, philosophy and sociology oppose a facile and consumption-driven experience of art and reality. They often contain autobiographical elements. Following three teen novels, he debuted in 2011 as a novelist with Death of a Teacher. Just like his essays, the book sharply criticizes the educational system and the publishing community. Education suffers from laziness and a lack of dedication, while commercialism has trumped idealism and expertise in publishing circles. For Offermans, every form of art, whether intentional or unintentional, requires engagement. His work speaks out against the lack of esthetic commitment of artists and intellectuals, who, he believes, are always responsible to society.