Greek Australian author George Sotirios is amongst the notable writers competing for this year’s NSW Premier’s Literary Awards.
Titled, ‘Graffiti Over Marble: A Portrait of Greece in Crisis’, Sotirios’ book, a decade-long observational study of Greece garnered during several trips delves into the collective psyche of an economically depleted nation as expressed through street art.
Sotirios has witnessed Greece’s unemployment soar while living standards plummeted; he experienced mass rallies, riots, charities, soup kitchens first hand.
The author documented Greece’s demise but also the hope that helped people keep pushing through; the resilience and perseverance of the Greek spirit.
In his book, Sotirios portrays the feelings of a nation through graffiti and explores the narrative by taking the time to experience life at many different workplaces.
In the words of Professor Vrasidas Karalis from the University of Sydney:
“‘Graffiti Over Marble: A Portrait of Greece in Crisis’, explores the human cost of the Greek economic crisis. With its myriad voices and vibrant characters, this memoir focuses on a turbulent drama played out in the street, inside the home, at the workplace and within cafes and tavernas. From Athens to the traditional village, from remote islands to the Balkan borderlands, a portrait emerges of a nation under siege.
“One of the most impressive and monumental books ever written on the impact of the economic crisis on the fabric, life and culture of the Greeks. Something between Ernest Hemingway’s early journalism and Patrick Leigh Fermor’s cultural description of Greece (with a pinch of Gonzo journalism).”
An independent committee of writers, academics, critics and other sector professionals who have been appointed by the NSW Premier or the Minister for the Arts or their delegates will assess this year’s entries. The total prize money for the award in 2021, including sponsored awards, reaches $305,000.
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