In his ironic yet melancholic tone we are in any case constantly meeting with historical matter in Kémeny’s work – especially the history of Europe.

The author’s poetry is known for using traditional symbols like devils and angels to create dark worlds which are on the one hand surreal and diffuse, and on the other hand are always bound to social – and above all historical – realities, the structures of which are exposed in an enlightened manner. In addition to the poetry collections, stories and novels which Kémeny continues to publish, he also writes plays and essays. After his first two collections of poetry, ✼sigalépcsõ az elfelejtett tanszékekhez« (1984 tr: Spiral Staircase to the Forgotten Faculty) and »Játék méreggel és ellenméreggel« (1987 tr: Game With Poison and Antidote), won widespread acclaim, the author published further poetry collections during the 1980s, as well as his first large prose work, the experimental novel ✺z ellenség művészete« (1989 tr: The Art of the Enemy). After finishing school he began studying Law, but then changed to the study of History and Hungarian Literature, and graduated in 1993.ĭuring this period Kemény, whose apartment had been an important meeting place for young writers while he was studying, already played a key role in the Hungarian literary scene. István Kemény was born in 1961 in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

Élőbeszéd by István Kemény