| Herkus Kunčius | |
| Birth Date: | 18 April 1965 |
| Birth Place: | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Alma Mater: | Vilnius University |
| Years Active: | 1996– |
| Genres: | Postmodernism |
| Subjects: | Soviet Union |
Herkus Kunčius (born 18 April 1965) is a Lithuanian writer, playwright, and essayist.[1]
Herkus Kunčius was born on 18 April 1965 in Vilnius, to and . Both of his parents are soloists of the Kaunas State Musical Theatre. Kunčius's grandfather was an organist, choirmaster, and music teacher.[2] Kunčius attended the Kaunas Aušra Gymnasium.[3] He grew up in Kaunas with his parents, but moved to Vilnius to study the history of art. Having finished the Vilnius Academy of Arts in 1990, Kunčius began working at the magazine Krantai until 1994. From 1995 to 1999 Kunčius worked at the Literatūra ir menas magazine. For ten years Kunčius lectured on drama and creative writing in the Vytautas Magnus University.[4]
Kunčius is a member of PEN International, as well as a member of the editorial board of the Lithuanian Writers' Union monthly Metai magazine. Kunčius is a board member of the Jerzy Giedroyc forum of dialogue and cooperation between Lithuanians and Poles. In 2011 Kunčius became the president of the Lithuanian PEN International division.
In 1995 Kunčius was awarded a prize by the Literatūra ir menas magazine for his essays, in 1996 a prize by the Nemunas magazine for best work of prose, in 1998 the prize as well as the modern dramaturgy prize, in 1999 the Lithuanian Theatre Union's Dauguviečio auskaras (Earring of Dauguvietis, named after Borisas Dauguvietis), in 2000 the prize of the Lithuanian Foundation's open dramaturgy competition for children and teenagers, in 2004 the "Fortūnas" diploma of the Kaunas branch of the Lithuanian Theater Union, in 2007 the "Muzų malūnų" prize of Lietuvos rytas daily newspaper, in 2010 the prize of Lithuania's Ministry of Culture for his journalistic works, in 2016 the Knight's Cross of the Order for Merit to Lithuania, in 2019 the Silver Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland and in 2022 – the Antanas Vaičiulaitis prize. In 2024 he was nominated for the Lithuanian state prize.[5]
Kunčius's first novel, Ir dugnas visada priglaus, was published in 1996 in the magazine Metai. Kunčius's works have been described as postmodernist. In his 1999 collection of essays entitled Pilnaties linksmybės, Kunčius re-interprets avant-gardism and expresses doubt about the sacred power and significance of high art. The themes of sex, death, and analysis of metaphysical and social evil prevail in Kunčius's works, as well as the values of the traditional canon such as agricultural culture, compassion, Catholic norms, and moral chastity. Due to his background, Kunčius is also known for creating librettos and operettas, as well as creating a new literary genre of a "novel operetta", displayed in works such as the four-story Šaltasis karas (The Cold War).[6]
Kunčius's works have been translated to English, Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, German, and others.