World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

Rafael Cadenas

ラファエル・カデナス

Rafael Cadenas

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1930-04-08 （Barquisimeto, Lara, Venezuela）
Nationality
Venezuela
Languages
Spanish
Residence History
Barquisimeto (birthplace) → Caracas (teaching at Central University of Venezuela)

Career

Occupations
poet, essayist, university professor
Active Years
1946-

Awards

Conac essay prize
1984
Category: エッセイ
Organization: CONAC (Consejo Nacional de la Cultura)
Result: 受賞
National Prize for Literature (Venezuela)
1985
Category: 詩
Organization: Venezuelan government
Result: 受賞
Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde International Prize of Poetry
1992
Category: 詩
Organization: Juan Antonio Pérez Bonalde (international prize)
Result: 受賞
Guggenheim Fellowship
1986
Organization: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result: 受賞
Honorary degree (University of the Andes, Venezuela)
2001
Organization: University of the Andes (Venezuela)
Result: 授与
Honorary degree (Central University of Venezuela)
2005
Organization: Central University of Venezuela
Result: 授与
Guadalajara International Book Fair prize of literature (Romance languages)
2009
Category: 文学（ロマンス諸語）
Organization: Guadalajara International Book Fair
Result: 受賞
García Lorca Prize
2015
Organization: García Lorca Prize committee
Result: 受賞
Reina Sofía Prize (Ibero-American Poetry)
2018
Category: 詩
Organization: Reina Sofía Museum / awarding body
Result: 受賞
Miguel de Cervantes Prize
2022
Organization: Spanish Ministry of Culture (Cervantes Prize)
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Cantos iniciales

1946 Poetry

An early collection of poems showing experimental and lyrical tendencies of his youth.

early poetryself-exploration

Una isla

1958 Poetry

A poetry collection themed on isolation and severance, characterized by metaphor and concise language.

isolationexistence

The Notebooks of Exile

1960 Poetry

Deals with exile and alienation, featuring introspective narration.

exilealienation

Derrota

1963 Poetry

Poetic reflections on defeat and limits.

defeatlimits

Memorial

1977 Poetry

One of his major works, combining concise form with philosophical themes. A bilingual Spanish–English edition has been published.

memorylanguageexistence
Translations
  • Memorial (bilingual Spanish–English edition)

Amante / Lover

1983 Poetry

Poems on love, corporeality and intimacy. Has been translated into several languages.

loveintimacy
Translations
  • Amante (including translations into French and English)

Sobre abierto

2012 Poetry

A later collection exploring language and the limits of expression.

search for languagelimits of expression

Bibliography

  • Cantos iniciales (1946)
  • Una isla (1958)
  • Los cuadernos del destierro (1960, 2001)
  • Derrota (1963)
  • Falsas maniobras (1966)
  • Tiempo del machete (1969)
  • Intemperie (1977)
  • Memorial (1977)
  • Amante (1983)
  • Dichos (1992)
  • Gestiones (1992)
  • Antología (1958–1993) (1996)
  • El taller de al lado (2005)
  • Sobre abierto (2012)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
concise and refined expressionphilosophical and introspective voicelyrical yet restrained tone
Recurring Motifs
memorysolitudethe search into language itselflimits of existence

Legacy

Rafael Cadenas is one of Venezuela's foremost poets and essayists. Through his simple and philosophical verse he has had significant influence on contemporary Spanish-language poetry. In 2022 he received the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, becoming the first Venezuelan recipient.

Quotes

  • “Language is the homeland of the writer.”
    Source: Interview related to award acceptance (ABC, El Mundo and other outlets) (2022)

Trivia

  • In 2022 he won the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the first Venezuelan to receive it.
  • He taught for many years at the Central University of Venezuela.
  • Since the 1970s his collections have repeatedly explored questions of language and existence.