Yuri Andrukhovych © Kateryna Lashchykova

 

Yuri Andrukhovych [Ukraine]

Born in 1960 in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, Yuri Andrukhovych is a writer, poet, translator, and essayist recognized as a leading voice in Ukrainian literature. After studying journalism in Lviv and completing his military service, his literary career started with a bang: in 1985, together with Viktor Neborak and Oleksandr Irwanets, he co-founded the performance group Bu-Ba-Bu (Burlesque, side show, buffoonery) which had a lasting influence on the Ukrainian literary scene, especially in the years between 1988 and 1992. Their criticism of real socialism was expressed in poetic experiments combining satire, sound poetry and carnival elements.

His work explores themes of identity, history, and political transformation, often intertwining satire and philosophical musings. His latest publication, Set Change: Selected Poems (NYRB/Poets, 2024), translated by John Hennessy and Ostap Kin, brings his poetry to a broader international audience, drawing on the poetry the writer wrote in the eighties and nineties before focusing on prose.

Andrukhovych’s novels, including Radio Night (Suhrkamp, 2022) and Lovers of Justice (Suhrkamp, 2020), have garnered critical acclaim for their rich narratives that blend historical commentary with surrealism and humor. Earlier works like Recreations (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, 1998) and The Moscoviad(Spuyten Duyvil, 2008) remain seminal in post-Soviet literature, addressing cultural disintegration and renewal.

In addition to fiction, Andrukhovych is a prolific essayist and cultural commentator, contributing to Ukrainian and global platforms. His incisive essays dissect Ukraine’s socio-political landscape, earning him awards such as the Angelus Central European Literature Prize in 2006. Through his versatile body of work, Andrukhovych continues to bridge cultural and intellectual divides, solidifying his status as one of Eastern Europe’s most influential literary figures.