Serhiy Zhadan

Serhiy Zhadan is a writer, poet, essayist, translator, and musician. He was born in 1974 in Starobilsk in Ukraine. From the beginning of his literary career, he has devoted himself entirely to writing and cultural work. He studied at Kharkiv National University and is today regarded as one of the central voices of contemporary Ukrainian literature and an important cultural figure actively engaged in public and social life in Kharkiv.

His work has been translated into numerous languages and is distinguished by its strong linguistic energy, fragmentary narrative structures, and a sensitive yet often raw and direct portrayal of post-Soviet reality, social fractures, and experiences of war. Alongside his literary work, he is also the frontman of the band Zhadan i Sobaky, with which he combines poetry, performance, and social critique.

Among his most important works are the novels Depeche Mode (2004), Voroshilovgrad (2010), and The Orphanage (Internat, 2017), which have brought him wide international recognition and established him as one of the key contemporary Eastern European authors. For The Orphanage, he received the prestigious Angelus Award for Central European Literature in 2022.

Zhadan is undoubtedly one of the most prominent contemporary European authors, whose work combines literary innovation, social sensitivity, and a strong ethical stance.