GENRE HYBRIDITY IN THE WORK OF JUDITA ŠALGO

Abstract

This paper deals with the genre ambiguity and hybridity found in the work of Judita Šalgo (1941-1996), with an emphasis on its position within the European (neo) avant-gardistic tendencies. During the 60s and 70s of the 20th century,  the neo avant-gardistic movement produced progressive and engaging artistic practices all across former Yugoslavia, which were a response to the specific social and political environment. Therefore, it is of vital importance to enlighten the poetical and performative strategies used by J. Šalgo, through which the presence of the lyrical substrate is also preserved. This issue will be analysed on the example of two poetry collections, 67 minuta, naglas (67 minutes, out loud, 1980) and Život na stolu ( Life on the Table, 1986), whereas the second part of the paper will discuss the posthumously  published prose piece  Hronika (The Chronicle, 2007). As we will point out in the paper, Hronika presents a form of a posthumous conciliation between the neo-avant-garde practice and the need for its creation and articulation through an authentic image of the world, transformed via the vivid imagination of the author. It is similar when it comes to her poetry: her last poetry collection, apart from the apparent occupation with the neo-avant-garde language and structure of the text, introduces a significant renewal of the lyrical tone and of the intimate experience of the world.