MEXICO CITY – The writer, essayist and translator Sergio Pitol of Puebla, author of works such as “Tañer una flauta” and “Domar a la divina garza” is the winner if the 2015 Alfonso Reyes International Prize, because of his valuable cultural, artistic and literary contributions, as well as extensive experience.
In a statement, the National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA) reported that Pitol was elected winner of the award organized by the Federal Culture Secretariat and the Nuevo León state government, through its Culture and Arts Council.
Also contributing to the award is the International Alfonsina Society, The Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon (UANL), Monterrey Technology Institute, University of Monterrey, and Regiomontana University.
The award was created in 1972 by Francisco Zendejas in order to acknowledge the work of the Monterrey writer Alfonso Reyes, to distinguish personalities with vast experience in the field of humanities.
He stressed that previously this recognition has been awarded to personalities such as Mario Vargas Llosa, Eduardo Lizalde, Ignacio Bosque, Fernando del Paso and Ida Vitale.
The INBA said that Pitol was born in the city of Puebla on March 18, 1933. He studied law and literature at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and is a member of the National System of Art Creators, as creator emeritus since 1994.
His literary career has been recognized with many awards such as the Xavier Villaurrutia (1981), Latin American Narrative Colima (1982), Herralde (1984), Polish Association of European Culture Annual(1987) and the National Literature and Linguistics award (1993).
He was also given the awards for Literature Mazatlan 1996, Latin American and Caribbean Literature “Juan Rulfo” 1999, 2005 Cervantes Literature, and the 2008 Fine Arts Medal.
Some of his publications are “Sergio Pitol” (1966), “Gathered Works IV” (2006), “The Journey” (2000, 2001), “Closed Time” (1959), “Victorio Ferri cuenta un cuento” (1959) “Infierno de todos” (1964, 1971), “Los climas” (1966, 1972) and “No hay tal lugar” (1967).
Likewise, “Del encuentro nupcial” (1970), “Nocturno de Bujara” (1981, reissued as “Waltz Mephisto” in 1984 and 1989), “Cemetery thrushes” (1982), “The Siege of Fire” (1984) “All stories” (1998), “A long journey” (1999), “Obras reunidas III. Cuentos y relatos “(2004) and “Los mejores cuentos”(2005).
He has translated into Spanish writers like Henry James, Joseph Conrad, Robert Graves, Jane Austen, Witold Gombrowicz, Alexander Zeromsky, Kazimierz Brandys, Jerzy Andrzejewski and Bruno Schulz.