Ioan T. Morar
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Ioan T. Morar (b. April 13, 1956) is a Romanian journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist, literary and art critic, and civil society activist. He is a founding member of the satirical magazine Academia Caţavencu (to which he notably contributes art and culture reviews) and, since 2004, a senior editor for Cotidianul. An amateur actor in his youth, he was also a member of the comedy troupe Divertis from the mid-1980s to 1996.[1][2]
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[edit] Biography
Born in Şeitin, Arad County, Morar graduated as a valedictorian from the University of Timişoara's Faculty of Philology (Romanian-French section) in 1981.[2] During the period, he became active in student theater groups — his troupe's performance in the 1981 adaptation of Vasile Alecsandri's comedy Sânziana şi Pepelea won it first prize during a festival in Iaşi (the city were he also met with and joined Divertis).[3]
Assigned to a teaching position in Lugoj,[3] he sat on the editorial staff for the magazines Viaţa Studenţească and Amfiteatru after 1987.[2] He also began writing his first works of drama and poetry, and joined the Writers' Union.[1] Morar's works, translated into several languages, won him the Writers' Union debut prize (1984, for Vara indiană) and its poetry prize (2000, for Şovăiala).[1][2]
Following the 1989 Revolution, he became a member of the Civic Alliance,[2] while contributing to the newspaper Cuvântul.[2] In 1990, Morar was employed by the national television station's Entertainment section and created several shows, but resigned the following year.[2]
He authored his debut novel Lidenfeld in 2006, to critical acclaim.[2][1][4][3] Considered a "Postmodern novel",[4] it was awarded the prize for prose works by the newspaper Ziarul de Iaşi.[1][3]
Morar returned to work for national television in 2006, and began hosting his talk show Lumea citeşte! ("People Read!"), aired by TVR 1.[2] During the same year, he was invited to take part in the final stage of TVR1's Mari Români campaign, a series which called on intellectuals to showcase the 10 greatest Romanians ever (who had been determined by a poll); Morar supported Domnitor Alexander John Cuza for the top position, and co-produced a short television film depicting the latter's merits.[1] As part of a 2005-2006 television advertising campaign for Kandia chocolate bars, Morar impersonated the last ruler of Communist Romania, Nicolae Ceauşescu.[5][6]
In early 2007, he left on an extended journey to New Caledonia, which he documented in a special blog for Academia Caţavencu, called Morar&More.
[edit] Works
- Vara indiană (1984)
- Fumul şi spada (1989)
- Neruşinarea (2003)
- Şovăiala (2000)
- Lidenfeld (2005)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f (Romanian) Ioan T. Morar at Mari Români
- ^ a b c d e f g h i (Romanian) Biography at the Polirom site
- ^ a b c d (Romanian) 2005 Awards, in Ziarul de Iaşi
- ^ a b (Romanian) Tania Radu, "Rochia de mireasă" (review of Lidenfel), in 22, Nr.802, July 2005
- ^ (Romanian) Interview with Alexandru Dumitrescu, deputy creative director for McCannErickson, in Dilema Veche, Nr.142, October 2006
- ^ (Romanian) 2007 interview with Ioan T. Morar, at iqads.ro
[edit] External links
- (Romanian) Morar&More
- Video of the 2007 Kandia campaign
Categories: Romanian journalists | Romanian poets | Romanian novelists | Romanian art critics | Romanian literary critics | Romanian travel writers | Romanian activists | Romanian stage actors | Romanian television personalities | Comedians | Postmodern literature | People from Transylvania | 1956 births | Living people
