Two women linked to the world of teaching, Helena Guasch and Sandra Blanch, have been awarded respectively the 40th Josep Vallverdú essay prize and the 28th Marius Torres poetry prize, both convened by the Paeria of Lleida, through the Institute of ‘Ilerdenc Studies.
The representatives of both juries announced this Friday the names of the winners, who receive the prize in an event in the central nave of the Seu Vella in Lleida.
The winner of the essay, Helena Guasch (Barcelona, ??1963), is the author of (In) Comunicats, a text that reflects, according to the members of the jury, “on the changes that have occurred due to the impact of technology in the digital age” and highlights that “we may find ourselves facing a new turning point in the paradigm of linguistic communication.”
The author herself has highlighted that her essay is divided into “three large parts: the assumption that we are biological beings, that we live in technological environments and that we think digitally,” and added that “the biological part has more and more digital interference.” “.
Guasch has a degree in Catalan Philology and is currently a professor of Secondary Education specializing in Catalan language and literature. Since 2013 she has published several novels and another essay on digital technology in childhood.
For her part, Sandra Blanch has won the Màrius Torres award for a collection of poems titled L’onada que ens estimba which, according to the same author, “speaks of the passage through people’s lives and the wave that sends them crashing into life.” and death.”
The jury claims to have valued Sandra Blanch’s work “how the rhythm and melodic cadence of each piece is harmoniously integrated into the whole.”
Blanch (Barcelona, ??1973) is the winner of other literary awards (Premi Nit de Poesia al Carrer, 2017, and Miquel Bauçà, 2019), is linked to theater, has a degree in Geography and History and began as a secondary school teacher and with writing book reviews, until he currently works at the la Caixa Foundation.
The prize for each of the two awards is 9,000 euros and its organizers intend with them to “promote the creation of the authors and be a useful platform to publicize their work”, as well as to promote “the final publication so that it reaches readers”, which is run by Pagès editors.
In this year’s edition, a total of 55 originals have been submitted: 20 for the essay prize and 35 for the poetry prize.
