Nicolas Kurtovitch

Nicolas Kurtovitch was born in Noumea in 1955, and is one of the most famous figures of New Caledonia’s contemporary literary landscape.

Of Caledonian and Yugoslavian origin, he is a writer who expresses himself most often in verse. Politics, society, the beauty of life and the ugliness of everyday life all appeal to him. The same goes for his inner adventures. Both are at the root of the creative process that gives rise to his award-winning writings.

In addition to his own works, Nicolas contributed to the development of New Caledonian literature by writing for various literary reviews and via his role as President of the Association of New Caledonian Writers. He took part in the Waka Conference on Pacific identities which was held in Wellington in August 2000, and is also a member of the Société des Gens de Lettre de France. In 2002, Nicolas was awarded the Prix du Salon du Livre Insulaire de Ouessant (poetry section) for Le Piéton du Dharma.

Following his residency, he published the novel Les heures italiques.