Novelist Leila Slimani discusses literature, art, and identity in Madrid residency
The Story
French-Moroccan novelist Leila Slimani is in Madrid for the Writing the Prado residency, where she has spent two weeks drawing inspiration from Francisco Goya’s Black Paintings. In an interview, she discussed her literary career, themes of contradiction, power, and human frailty, and her views on freedom, identity, and racism. The residency is a joint initiative of the Prado Museum and the Loewe Foundation, in collaboration with Granta en Español.
Key Facts
- Leila Slimani is a French-Moroccan writer born in Rabat in 1981.
- She left for Paris at 17, studied at Sciences Po, and began as a journalist.
- Her debut novel was Adèle; her second novel, Lullaby, won the Prix Goncourt in 2016, making her the first Moroccan woman to win.
- She was appointed by French President Emmanuel Macron as his personal representative for promoting French language and Francophone culture.
- Her father was arrested when she was 20, died before trial, and was posthumously exonerated.
- She has written a trilogy The Country of Others, ending with I’ll Take the Fire published in English this year.
- She has two children and lives in Lisbon with her husband.
- Her nonfiction book Sex and Lies gathers testimonies about hidden sex lives.
- As a journalist, she covered the Arab Spring.
- Writing the Prado is a joint initiative of the Prado Museum and the Loewe Foundation, in collaboration with Granta en Español.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
The article addresses the misconception that her success was due to being a woman and an Arab. Slimani stated, “So what? I’m not going to try and find a reason not to be happy.”
Key Figures
- Leila Slimani, novelist
- Francisco Goya, Spanish painter
- Emmanuel Macron, French president
Sources: The Guardian
