Yannis Kiourtsakis's 'Le Dicôlon' Explores Memory and Identity
Yannis Kiourtsakis's autobiographical novel 'Le Dicôlon' (published by Éditions Verdier) opens with a diary entry from December 21, 1986, describing a walk on Ékali hill in Athens. He experiences a sudden rupture in time, feeling the presence of his deceased parents and brother Haris, who died by suicide at 25. Kiourtsakis realizes he has written books different from those he intended, having aspired to novels and poems but produced only studies. He identifies with the Dicôlon figure from his earlier work 'Carnaval et Karaghiosis'—a character carrying his dead brother on his back. The novel is the first volume of a trilogy titled 'The Same and the Other,' exploring selfhood through otherness: his parents, brother, and Greek history. Kiourtsakis uses letters from Haris, who studied in Belgium, to draw parallels between their lives. He questions the reliability of memory and writing, referencing the myth of the Argo. The narrative blends diary entries, letters, and reflections, spanning 1986 to 1994.
Key facts
- Yannis Kiourtsakis published 'Le Dicôlon' with Éditions Verdier.
- The book begins with a diary entry from December 21, 1986.
- Kiourtsakis describes a walk on Ékali hill in Athens.
- His brother Haris died by suicide at age 25.
- Kiourtsakis was 45 at the time of writing.
- The Dicôlon figure appears in his earlier work 'Carnaval et Karaghiosis'.
- The novel is the first volume of a trilogy titled 'The Same and the Other'.
- The narrative covers 1986 to 1994.
- Haris studied in Belgium and wrote letters home.
- Kiourtsakis also studied in Paris.
- The work references the myth of the Argo.
- The book blends diary, letters, and narration.
Entities
Artists
- Yannis Kiourtsakis
Institutions
- Éditions Verdier
Locations
- Ékali
- Athens
- Greece
- Belgium
- Paris
- France
- Crete
Sources
- artpress —