Agnieszka Kukuryk

The reports of the “Strapontin volant” as an example of world literature in the French language. The case of Leon Kochnitzky

This article focuses on the journalistic work of Léon Kochnitzky, who illustrates what has been called “Francophone literature” or more broadly, world literature in French. Our aim is to show that the reportages of this Belgian writer-traveler represent a unique dialogue between creativity and critical reflection, that his often poetic but also humorous chronicles are an excellent contribution to Francophonie. The landscapes he creates, through which cultures communicate with each other, will remind us that poetry lives from its openness to the world and history, and that the interaction between poet, world, and word is an excellent opportunity for mutual enrichment.

* L’auteure bénéficie d’un financement octroyé par l’Agence polonaise pour les échanges universitaires.

(Re)passing memory through laughter: The case of Alain Berenboom

Laughter, a term that at first sight seems incompatible with the Holocaust, has overcome some seemingly insurmountable barriers and has paradoxically become the essence of many literary and cinematographic works dealing with this painful subject. The aim of this article is to present the role of humor in the transmission of the memory of the Holocaust from selected novels by Belgian writer Alain Berenboom. By analyzing his works, we will show that laughter makes it possible to break with the horror experienced during the Shoah and to protect oneself from a real trauma. We will also highlight its role in demystifying and revealing the illusions of post-war society that can lead to its destruction.

Perception and reading in Peintures by Victor Segalen

Focusing on the search for a new form of artistic creation, French doctor, archaeologist and poet, Victor Segalen (1878–1919) created a collection of poems titled Peintures in which the literary and artistic space coexist and influence each other. In his poetic work, Segalen, considered above all to be the founder of an intercultural poetics between East and West attempted to recreate Chinese paintings through words. The aim of this paper will attempt to show that the “spoken paintings,” as he called them, were inspired by real Chinese paintings and the creative process of Chinese painting itself. The poet succeeds in producing within the reader’s consciousness a painting by enabling him to visualize images suggested by words and to create a “magic space.” Segalen moves away from linearity principle of a text and gives it the third dimension creating a total work of art.