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Marcin Wicha, the author of such novels as Rzeczy, których nie wyrzuciłem collected his PASZPORT POLITYKI award in the category of literature. The awards were granted during an official gala event in the Great Theatre National Opera. For the first time in the history of PASZPORTY, Krakow UNESCO City of Literature was the partner of the Literature category. It additionally funded a monthly creative scholarship in Krakow for the winner.
Marcin Wicha is a graphic art designer. Alongside his professional work, his passion is writing. Both children and parents know him as the author of funny books about Klara, Łysol i strusie, as well as the continuation of Bolek and Lolek’s adventures. His first essayistic book is the story Jak przestałem kochać design. The newest one – Rzeczy, których nie wyrzuciłem has just brought him the Paszport Polityki award. The author writes about his mother, death, cleaning up the things, books and memories in his essays. Yet, above all, he writes about words and silence.
Note that, apart from Wicha, there were also other artists nominated to this year’s edition of the award: Anna Cieplak, the laureate of the Conrad Award, and Paweł Sołtys, known among music fans as Pablopavo.
Marcin Wicha, fot. Leszek Zych | Polityka
You can find out more about this year’s laureates of Paszport Polityki awards: here
PASZPORTY POLITYKI is an award granted by a weekly magazine POLITYKA since 1993. For 25 years it has been given to young creators and artists for outstanding artistic achievements. The creators are awarded in the following categories: film, theatre, visual arts, classical music, pop music, and since 2016, digital culture. Since 2002, there has also been a special award for the CREATOR OF CULTURE. This distinction is honoured to people and institutions which contribute to spreading Polish culture, both at home and abroad in an extraordinary and unconventional way.
For 25 years, the Jury of PASZPORTY POLITYKI has honoured 147 laureates, including 187 artists and creators (including teams) and has distinguished 20 Creators of Culture. Statistically, there are mostly men aged 36 that dominate among the laureates. The capital is also quite dominant as the birth place and the place of education of the winners (over 37%). In comparison – Gdańsk 11%, Krakow 7%, Poznań 6%, Łódź 4%. It is noteworthy that quite a big group of winners were born abroad, e.g. in Russia, Lithuania, France, Sweden or Switzerland. The Paszporty award is usually granted to young creators between 30 and 40 years old, yet there were also some laureates that were mature artists – 50 and 60 year olds and very young teenagers. An interesting fact, is that the lowest age average was noted in the classical music category (29 years of age). In recent years, the age of the winners in all the categories definitely balances (30+). In the course of 25 years of the award, the Jury has awarded an ex-aequo prize twice and once a special non-statutory prize for the Jewish Historical Institute Association in Poland. This quarter of a century also shows the image of a generation artists. Many laureates of the 1990s are now recognized creators, who have brought up a new generation of artists, also awarded with PASZPORTY POLITYKI awards, yet in the 21 century.