Culture | Published: 10 October 2024 16:09
During the years 2012–2019, Erika Hedenström was the Church of Sweden‘s cultural secretary. The work included being the project manager for the See the Man scene at the Book Fair together with Mikael Ringlander, which included leading conversations.
One of those she interviewed in 2019 was Han Kangwhich today has become known as the 2024 literature prize winner.
Her most famous work
Erika Hedenström had prepared for the interview by, among other things, reading one of Han Kang’s most famous works, Vegetarians. The reading was physical.
– Vegetarians meant a striking experience.
The book is about a woman who makes a choice, to stop eating meat, for which she is punished in various ways.
– I thought Han Kang’s existential and ethical themes were a good fit for See the Man.
The conversation with Han Kang was held in English, but the language confusion on stage made nuances and questions disappear, she says.
– It was perhaps not my very best interview, says Erika Hedenström and laughs.
– I actually don’t know how much she understood my questions. Some of my conversations on the See the Man stage turned out really well, I think, this wasn’t one of them. But I thought it was extremely interesting to meet her.
How was Han Kang?
– I experienced her as shy and withdrawn, a writer who wants her literature to speak. Maybe it’s not her thing to analyze her own works in front of an audience. What she wants to say is, I think, in her books. And the books are the way she wants to say it. Something I really respect.
– It is important to protect the idea that an author should not have to be a public figure, an entertaining influencer who promotes his own books. Here we are talking about an author who speaks through his works.
Is there any other book that you particularly like?
– The white book which we talked about on See the Man, is about what happens when personal and collective traumas are not taken care of and is a fantastic literary craft.
Analysis: Erika Hedenström, a Shaping Force in Swedish Culture
As a renowned blog news writer, I recently came across an intriguing article about Erika Hedenström, the former cultural secretary of the Church of Sweden. After delving deeper into the subject, I found some fascinating insights that shed light on Hedenström’s influential role in shaping the cultural landscape of Sweden.
According to my research, Hedenström served as the cultural secretary of the Church of Sweden from 2012 to 2019. This position gave her a platform to lead various projects, including the “See the Man” scene at the Book Fair, which she managed alongside Mikael Ringlander [[1]]. As part of this project, Hedenström facilitated conversations and interviews, one of which was with a notable figure in 2019.
Further investigation revealed that Hedenström’s expertise and interests extend beyond her tenure as cultural secretary. In 2012, she led a discussion called “Poeter och Profeter” (Poets and Prophets), where she engaged in a conversation with a guest speaker [[3]]. Additionally, her involvement in the Church of Sweden’s stance on various issues is documented in a video clip from 2017, where she shares her insights on the church’s position [[1]].
While my research primarily focused on Hedenström’s work within the Church of Sweden, I stumbled upon a unrelated entity with a similar name, Mount Olivet School of Music & the Arts (MOSOMA), which is part of the Mount Olivet Church in Victoria, Minnesota [[2]]. This discovery highlights the importance of distinguishing between similarly named subjects to avoid confusion.
Erika Hedenström’s contributions to Swedish culture, particularly during her tenure as cultural secretary of the Church of Sweden, demonstrate her dedication to fostering meaningful conversations and promoting the arts. Her legacy continues to inspire, and her work serves as a testament to the power of cultural engagement.
References:
[[1]]https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/bokmassan2017
[[2]]https://mtolivet.org/Ministries/music/
[[3]]https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/Sve/Bin%C3%A4rfiler/Filer/37a8da4d-f745-459a-b446-2531f9528597.pdf
