ANTONIO SKÁRMETA: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS AND PHRASES - BIOGRAPHIES - 2024

Antonio Skármeta (1940) is a well-known Chilean-born short story writer, novelist, and playwright, considered one of the greatest exponents of literature in Latin America and the world. Several of his works have reached the cinema in an exceptional way, captivating audiences for their content and direction.

Due to the quality and significance of his work, he has been the recipient of a large number of national and international awards. Among these, the 1968 Casa de las Américas Prize, the Llibreter Prize, the Foreign Medici Prize and the Grinzane Cavour Prize stand out.

Antonio Skármeta. Source: Hans van Dijk / Anefo

His works, in the different literary genres that he handles, have received great reception in different continents. Among these we can mention: One by one: complete stories, Sudamericana, Buenos Aires, 1996 (anthology), The cyclist of San Cristóbal, 1973 (anthology of stories) and Soñé that the snow burned, 1975 (novel).

Biography

Birth and family

The writer Esteban Antonio Skármeta Vranicic was born in the Chilean city of Antofagasta on November 7, 1940. His father was Antonio Skármeta Simunovic, while his mother was named Magdalena Vranicic, both of Croatian descent. According to an old family story, the Skármeta came to Chile for the simple pleasure of changing the environment.

Studies

The first steps in Skármeta's education took place at the San Luis de Antofagasta school. Already advanced in his youth he went on to study at the National Institute of Santiago, there he attended high school.

Having completed his second stage of professional preparation, the future writer opted for a career in philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy and Education of the University of Chile. In that institution of higher education, Francisco Soler Grima received him as tutor and teacher, who was a direct student of Julián Marías and José Ortega y Gasset.

Colegio San Luis de Antofagasta, where Skármeta saw classes. Source: Colegio San Luis 90 years

Due to the influence of his mentor, Skármeta decided to do his graduate work around Ortega y Gasset. In 1963 the publication Ortega y Gasset (language, gesture and silence) came to light, making Antonio worthy of his degree. Thanks to Soler, the future writer also studied the work of Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre, among other great philosophers.

First publications

By that time, writing had already done its thing in Skármeta's life, the story being one of his most passionate forms of expression. Among the figures that inspired the work of Antonio at that time stand out Jack Kerouac and JD Salinger. In 1967, El Enthusiasm came to light, thus receiving an excellent reception from readers.

Two years later he published Naked on the roof, a compilation of short stories that earned him the Casa de las Américas prize. This book had fresh texts, being “El cyclista del San Cristóbal”, “Final del tango” and “Desnudo en el tejado” (the one that gave the book its name) some of the most successful.

Skármeta: the fusion of two worlds

The influence of American and Latin American literature on Skármeta's work was clear. And it is that the work of Julio Cortazar did not go unnoticed by the writer, nor that of Juan Carlos Onetti, as well as that of the aforementioned Jack Kerouac and JD Salinger.

Due to the aforementioned, it is not strange to see a mixture of the styles of these writers in Skármeta's stories.

To read Skármeta from the late sixties is to find sensuality with fantasy, but at the same time a lot of dynamism. It is this “salad” of styles that marks the beginning of a successful career for the Chilean, which would also lead her to lead the Latin American literary scene.

Pinochet's coup and exile

In 1973 Augusto Pinochet perpetrated a coup, an event that shook the history of Chile. This completely changed the life of Skármeta, who at that time was working as a literature teacher, theater director and film scriptwriter.

The writer decided to emigrate to Argentina to protect himself. While in that new land his work Free Shot came to light, and it is there where Skármeta expresses what according to him were the circumstances that allowed the overthrow of Salvador Allende.

Having moved from his place of origin and under these conditions notably affected the writing of Skármeta, who was used to interacting with the spaces of his country and portraying them through his writings. Antonio had to leave behind the places that inspired the famous stories of Nude on the roof and El enthusiasm.

As a result of that abrupt change of panorama, the writer had to resort to his memories. From there I dreamed that the snow burned (1975) was born, which became his first novel. In that work, Skármeta captured everything that happened during the Pinochet coup from the point of view of a soccer player.

The way in which the writer captured the places, the language of his characters and their customs allow the reader to move in space-time and witness everything that happened as a direct witness. All this linked with a very intelligent sense of humor. This novel is considered one of Skármeta's most important works.

Skármeta exiled in Germany

The writer did not last long in Argentina. He barely spent a year there and then traveled to Germany, specifically West Berlin. That city was his home for the next 15 years. To support himself financially, Skármeta wrote for film and radio, and also taught how to write screenplays for film purposes.

It is in Germany where his second novel Nothing happened. This short work has autobiographical airs, as it tells the story of a young Chilean and all the situations he goes through in order to adapt to the place that received him after exile.

University of Chile, Skármeta Higher Education Center. Source: Sisib University of Chile

In Germany, Skármeta faced a huge limitation: the language. He went from being a recognized and award-winning author in his country, to being a total stranger on another continent. However, the writer knew how to avoid his luck and escape unscathed. This is how La insurrección (1982) was born. This book dealt with Nicaragua and its Sandinista revolution.

The success of the film was such that it was awarded the Oscar. In addition, the film ended up becoming a banner of good cinema among the public. People loved the characters achieved by Skármeta.

Skármeta international

Apart from the recognition achieved with the Oscar, Skármeta did not stop for a moment in his intellectual production. In the 1990s he was invited to many conferences, taught at Saint Louis University, and also served as a jury member in various competitions.

Washington University in St. Louis, where Skármeta taught as a visiting professor. Source: wikimediacommons.org.

It was in 1999 when he decided to honor his Yugoslav roots with the work The Poet's Wedding. With that text the century closed and the new one opened with the text La chica del trombón (2001). This last writing earned him the Médicis Prize in France, specifically in the award for the best novel in a foreign language.

Skármeta and politics

In 2000, the writer expressed his empathy for the government of Ricardo Lagos and agreed to be Chile's ambassador to Germany. This experience made him want to return to letters quickly, because he felt imprisoned. His return was given with the work the dance of victory (2003), which earned him the Planeta award.

Skármeta at the Chilean Academy of Language

In 2015, he won the National Literature Prize of his country and was designated as the 20th place occupant of the Chlena Academy of Language. The position was assumed in 2017 with his speech «Pedaling with San Juan de la Cruz. Presence in my work of the literary tradition of the Spanish language ».

The delay in the occupation of his position was due to suffering from stomach cancer in 2016, from which he came out very well. Due to that same ailment, she could not serve as a member of the jury for the 2016 National Literature Prize, since she deserved for having won the contest the previous year.

Skármeta, love, family and today

The writer had his children Beltrán and Gabriel in his marriage to Cecilia Boisier, a renowned Chilean plastic artist. On the other hand, his children Javier and Fabián are the product of his love with Nora Preperski, with whom he later joined after their separation.

Despite the years, the writer does not put aside his passion for letters, football and horse racing.

Awards and honours

- Fulbright Scholarship (1964)

- Casa de las Américas 1968 Award for Nude on the roof.

- Bocaccio International Literature Prize 1996 for Nothing happened.

- First Prize Llibreter for the illustrated edition of his short story The composition.

- Altazor 2000 Award for The Poet's Wedding.

- Foreign Medici Award 2001 for The Poet's Wedding.

- Goethe Medal 2002 (Germany).

- Grinzane Cavour Award 2001 for the best novel of the year in Italy.

- Unesco Prize 2003 for Children's and Young People's Literature in favor of Tolerance for Writing.

- First Prize Planeta 2003 for El baile de la Victoria.

- Municipal Prize for Literature of Santiago de Chile 2004 for El baile de la Victoria.

- International Ennio Flaiano Award 2006 for "the cultural and artistic value of his work" and, in particular, for El baile de la Victoria.

- First Prize Planeta-Casa de América 2011 for The days of the rainbow.

- Andrés Sabella International Literary Merit Award 2011 (Zicosur Antofagasta International Book Fair).

- Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (France).

- Commander of Arts and Letters (Italy).

- Marko Marulic Order (Croatia).

- National Prize for Literature 2014 (Chile).

Style

The literary style of Skármeta's work is highly traditional, with a simple language, full of good humor and direct. His texts highlight the multiple influences he had from American and Latin American authors such as Jack Kerouac, JD Salinger, Julio Cortaza and Juan Carlos Onetti.

His texts reflect a deep social criticism of the events in which he has been involved, so he could be classified as an experiential writer. It never ceases to amaze the way in which he reinvents himself and takes a bit of each style of his favorite authors, and at the same time gives a super personal character to his work.

His work is also characterized by the continuous presence of dialogues, and very well described scenarios. This denotes the author's affinity for film art, radio, and theater.

In this video you can see a brief interview with Skármeta:

Plays

Novels

- I dreamed that the snow was burning, 1975.

- Nothing Happened, 1980.

- The insurrection, 1982.

- Burning Patience, 1985.

- Matchball, 1989 (in later editions its name was changed to The Speed ​​of Love, 1997).

- The Poet's Wedding, 1999.

- The girl with the trombone, 2001.

- The victory dance, 2003.

- A movie dad, 2010.

- The days of the rainbow, 2011.

Stories

- Enthusiasm, 1967.

This work has 8 stories:

- "Cinderella in San Francisco".

- "The young man with the story."

- "Trotting".

- "Among all things the sea comes first."

- "Blue days for an anchor".

- "Nuptials".

- "Public relations".

- "Look where the wolf is going."

- Naked on the Roof, 1969.

This work has the following stories:

- "The San Cristóbal cyclist".

- "To the sands".

- "A turn in the air."

- “Final del tango”.

- "Bird".

- "Basketball".

- "Naked on the roof."

- Free kick, 1973.

This work is divided into three sections and has the following stories:

- I: “Fish”, “The last train” and “One by one”.

- II: “First preparatory”, “Enroque”, “Ballad for a fat man” and “The cigarette”.

- III: "Paris" and "Professionals".

- Boyfriends and lonely, 1975.

- Freedom of movement, 2015.

This work has the following stories:

- "When you turn twenty-one years old."

- "Sparks".

- "The goalkeeper of the mountain range."

- "Borges".

- "Time zone".

- "Executive".

- "Ephemeral".

- "A Colombian Christmas".

- "Teresa Clavel's lover".

- "Broken heart".

- "Oktoberlied".

Theater

- The Search, 1976.

- Nothing happened, 1977.

- The stain, 1978.

- The composition, 1979.

- Eighteen karats, 2010.

Children's literature

- The composition, 1998.

- The goalkeeper of the mountain range, 2012.

Selections, compilations, anthologies

- The cyclist of San Cristóbal, anthology of stories, 1973

- Boyfriends and lonely, short story anthology, 1975.

- Cinderella in San Francisco and other stories, anthology of stories 1990.

- One by one: complete stories, short story anthology, 1996.

- Personal Anthology, 2009.

Others

- Neruda by Skármeta, 2004.

Phrases

- "Fantasy plus fantasy can only give something more fantastic."

- "I don't have time to celebrate your hair, one by one I must count and praise them."

- “I believe that many times younger people who enjoy democracy and freedom do not know what it cost to recover them. They are in a paradise where they can say what they want, without fear of being tortured or slaughtered or exiled ”.

- “Democracy not only has a future, but a lot of present. Let us not confuse its occasional weaknesses with the essence of this privileged mode of social relationship that is democracy. Democracy is such a great good that it must be deepened, made more inclusive and creative so that it does not wear out and incite populist or immaturely strident adventures ”.

- “I wouldn't make such a fuss over a kiss! - Not because of the kiss, but the kiss is the spark that sets the fire ”.

- “The trains that lead to paradise are always local and get entangled in humid and suffocating seasons. Only those who travel to hell are express. "

- "What hurts me is not being able to see her," the postman continued absorbed. Her cherry lips and her slow, mourning eyes, as if they had been done the same night.

- “I know this is the first letter you receive in your life, Mario, and at least it had to come in an envelope; if not, it is not worth it ”.

- "The word is erotic when it is communicated at emotional levels that sometimes ideas or concepts do not have."

- "I am extremely interested in inclusion, because part of the writer's job is to bring people to creation, to offer it so that whoever receives it creates and recreates it."

References

1. Ruiza, M., Fernández, T. and Tamaro, E. (2004). Biography of Antonio Skármeta. Spain: Biographies and lives. Recovered from: biografiasyvidas.com.
2. Antonio Skármeta (1940). (2018). Chile: Chilean Memory. Recovered from: memoriachilena.gob.cl.
3. Phrases by Antonio Skármeta. (2020). Argentina: Phrases and thoughts. Recovered from: frasesypensamientos.com.ar.
4. Antonio Skármeta. (2019). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
5. Biography of Antonio Skármeta (2015). (N / A): Lecturalia. Recovered from: lecturalia.com.