WINNER

2022 Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Translation Prize

AMALIA GLADHART

for her English translation of Jaguars’ Tomb, in Spanish Tumba de jaguares  by Angélica Gorodischer and published by Vanderbilt University Press in 2021

The 2022 Translation Prize Ceremony took place on November 29th at Instituto Cervantes New York

Watch the Translation Prize Ceremony

Amalia Gladhart, translator and professor of Spanish at the University of Oregon, received the 2022 Translation Prize from the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute for her translation of the book Jaguars’ Tomb by Argentine author Angélica Gorodischer. Sophie Hughes, member of the Reading Committee, the jury that selected the winner, highlighted “[Gladhart’s] versatility is evident on every page.” Amalia Gladhart has written extensively on contemporary Latin American literature and performance, and among her translations are The Potbellied Virgin and Beyond the Islands, both by Alicia Yánez Cossío; and Trafalgar, by Angélica Gorodischer.

Among the shortlist were works written by renowned authors from all over the Spanish-speaking world: Argentina, Uruguay, El Salvador and Spain. It is worth mentioning César Aira, who was a finalist in The Man Booker International Award 2015; the Spaniard Dolores Redondo who won the Premio Planeta 2016, one of the most prestigious awards in the literary world; and Claudia Piñeiro’s novel Elena Knows, which was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize this year. The authors of all the selected works have already been recognized internationally, but for this prize the Reading Committee selected these works specifically for their excellent translations into English.

Translator Amalia Gladhart enthusiastically accepted the award, stating “I am so impressed by the variety of texts and the skill and insight with which the translators have met the challenges posed by these different books. It’s a real honor to be part of this small group. Thanks are due to Angélica Gorodischer, who died earlier this year. Working with her—a woman of great imagination, generosity, and humor—has been one of the privileges of my career.” Isabel C. Gómez, the Chair of the Reading Committee, presented the prize.

During the ceremony, the writer Carmen Posadas, who has supervised the award over the past two years, highlighted the excellence of the committee and Sophie Hughes stressed the importance of the translator, stating that “the shadow heroes of literature… today we draw these translators out of the shadows and celebrate their vital role in the literary ecosystem.”

Begonia Santos, Executive Director of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute emphasized the importance of making the field of translation more visible: “I hope that these awards and these incredibly talented awardees can serve as an impetus and an inspiration for future generations of translators to continue to hone their craft, to test the limits of their artistry, and to create translations that will bring the voices and stories of Spanish-speakers to new audiences.”

After the award ceremony, Amalia Gladhart participated in a discussion with the Chair of the Reading Committee discussing the challenges of translation followed by an audience Q&A.

About the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Translation Prize:

With the aim of elevating awareness and engendering appreciation of Spanish-language literature in the United States, this $10,000 prize was created by the Cultural Committee and Board of Directors of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute to honor the best English-language translation of a literary work written in Spanish. Formerly a triennial prize, it is now awarded yearly. The Reading Committee for the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Translation Prize consists of a minimum of three scholars with expertise in Spanish and/or Latin American literature, translation, culture, and/or language. In 2010, the Reading Committee of the Inaugural Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Translation Prize unanimously recommended Edith Grossman to receive the award for her extraordinary translation of Antonio Muñoz Molina’s A Manuscript of Ashes.