from Heriberto Yépez for his weekly column at the Mexico City magazine Laberinto (translated from Spanish by the poet Guillermo Para):
"Generally, unsubmissive foreigners are not translated and instead marketable or functional foreigners are chosen. We translate what is exemplary. What serves as an example of something we want to make visible in our own culture."
This very true. A good example of this, I think, is Seamus Heaney. Widely translated as a poet that exemplifies and conforms to notions of Irishness from 19th century etc. etc. The same could be said for awards (noble prizes, pulizer prizes). The awarding of awards to safe literature is especially true on this small provincial island. But There are very rare notable exceptions to this. But most of the best and brightest and most interesting fiction and poetry is not translated or give awards.
So you have to look. Dig. And that's OK. The same often goes for the most interesting music and so on.
And there are notable exceptions. Action Books especially!!!
Check out Guillermo Para's post over here: http://venepoetics.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/los-peligros-del-traductor-heriberto.htmlLabels: Action Books, Guillermo Para, Heriberto Yépez, Laberinto, poetry, translation