Anna Auziņa

Anna Auziņa is a Latvian poet, writer and painter, born in 1975, in a family of writers. Her paintings have been exhibited since 1994, she has had solo exhibitions, has written four well received, prize-winning collections of poetry (Isolated Gardens in 1995, Skiers Kissing in the Snow in 2001, I Looked Happy in 2010 and Anna's Dowry Cow in 2017). She is also the author of the novel The Dwelling. Teresa’s Diary (2021) which is young woman’s growth story, where much attention is paid to body and sexuality. Anna Auziņa has worked as a copywriter, and does research in literary studies, as well as writes reviews of books of poetry, theatre plays, and is actively involved in the art world and criticism. In 2019 Auzina defended her doctoral dissertation “Woman’s Experience and Language: The Poetry of Vizma Belševica, Ārija Elksne and Monta Kroma in the Context of Their Time”, where she examined the poetry of three key women representatives of 20th-century Latvian poetry. In I Looked Happy Auziņa recognizes poetry as a natural part of life, and vice versa, everyday life as poetry. Her poem I Have a Book Inside Me is a bright example of poetry accumulating the biography of the author, and it has also been awarded the Olivereto Prize. Poems are often personal, yet well grounded in detailed references to objective reality and her memories of experiences as a child, a woman, and A human being. Anna Auziņa's poetry is calm and subtle, creating narratives that entangle the readers in elaborate images which encourage readers to address important issues. It has been said of her poetry that "her poetic forms vary a lot, while the mode is generally [a] kind of metaphorical statement-making" (David Hart, 2011). Auziņa's poems have been translated into Russian, English, Lithuanian, German, French, Swedish, Finnish, and several other languages, and have been included into such anthologies in English as Six Latvian Poets - New Voices from Europe published by Arc Publications in 2011, and A Baltic Anthology Book 1: Contemporary Latvian Poetry published by UNO Press in 2013.

Mājoklis. Terēzes dienasgrāmata [The Dwelling. Teresa's Diary] Riga: Ascendum, 2021

Annas pūra govs [Anna’s Dowry Cow]. Riga: Neputns, 2017.

Es izskatījos laimīga [I Looked Happy]. Riga: Mansards, 2010.

Slēpotāji bučojas sniegā [Skiers Kissing in the Snow]. Riga: Preses nams, 2001.

Atšķirtie dārzi [Isolated Gardens]. Riga: Uguns, 1995.

Latvian writer Anna Auziņa and her book "Buveinė" - it's easy to talk about sexuality // Menobangos, February, 2025 [LT]

Linas Daugela. A Latvian writer's novel exploring sexuality – without hypocrisy or feigned transcendence // 15min.lt, February, 2025 [LT]

Anna Auziņa. "The Dwelling. Teresa's Diary". Excerpts from the novel // Atokiosstotys, February, 2025 [LT]

"Slinktys" promises an exciting publishing year and presents nine new releases // Slinktys, January, 2025 [LT]

The nominees for the August Sanga translation poetry award have been revealed Anna Auziņa, Contra // Kultuur Err, September, 2023 [EE]

Lauris Veips. Saying what you mean: trends in recent Latvian poetry // Versopolis, March 2023 [EN]

Don't look the Latvian in the eye. Ball of introverts. Anthology of new Latvian poetry // Sirp, January, 2023 [EE]

20th Festival of the Debut Novel: Literary trip to Europe in Kiel celebrates its anniversary // Kielere Nachrichten, May 2022 [GER]

IntroVersIon. Poetry from Latvia. Anna Auziņa // Signaturen Magazin, February 2022 [GER]

Translated poem by Ieva Lešinska // Modern Poetry in Translation, 2020 [EN]

Anna Auziņa // Arc Publications [EN]

Anna Auziņa participates in Poetry Ride // Poetry Ride home page, audio-poem [EN, LV]

Conversation with Anna Auziņa // Online magazine Punctum, 2017 [LV]

Interview with Anna Auziņa // Latvian Poetry Meets Romania, 2012 [EN]

Interview with Anna Auziņa // 3:AM Magazine, 2011 [EN]

Interview with Anna Auziņa // Literary critic Guntis Berelis's blog, 2011 [LV]

Gerald Jatzek. Latvian anthology "Mir war, als ob es klopfte" review // Litges, February 2024 [GER]

Latvian anthology "Mir war, als ob es klopfte" review // Baltbuch blogspot, October 2023 [GER]

Sabine Walther. Recommended book: Young poetry from Latvia // sabinewalther-bücher.de, October 2022 [GER]

Nicolas Auzanneau. 12 fictions from Europe to read in February, review Anna Auzina, Mājoklis. Terēzes dienasgrāmata (Terēze's Diary)  // Le Grand Continent, January, 2022 [FR]

Ingmāra Balode, Ko lai dara ar Annas pūra govi?, review of Anna's Dowry Cow // Online magazine Satori, 2017 [LV]

Raimonds Ķirķis, Auziņas konstelācijas, review of Anna's Dowry Cow // Online magazine Punctum, 2017 [LV]

Inga Žolude, Dzeja lielāka par tevi, review of Anna’s Dowry Cow // Diena.lv, 2017 [LV]

Artis Ostups, Susļikziedi un trūdaina zeme, review of Anna's Dowry Cow // Delfi.lv, 2017 [LV]

Review about the book Six Latvian Poets //  Putting poetry on the map, David Hart, 2011 [EN]

2011, Magazine "Latvju Teksti" Award for I Looked Happy

2011, Ojārs Vācietis Award for I Looked Happy

2010, shortlisted for Latvian Literature Award Best Poetry for I Looked Happy

2008, Olivereto Prize for the poem I Have a Book Inside Me

2001, Preses nams Prize for the manuscript of Skiers Kissing in the Snow

1994, Klāvs Elsbergs Award for Isolated Gardens