This past Wednesday evening, I had the delight of attending one of New York’s most engaging and inspiring literary salons, Vica Miller:: Literary Salons, held at the Mimi Ferzt Gallery in Soho, NYC. The gathering was hosted by Russian writer and salon spear-header, Vica Miller, and interestingly, the gallery is NYC’s only artistic forum to exclusively represent contemporary Russian artists. Appropriate to the location, this particular saloon highlighted literature of contemporary Russian writers, with a complicated life circumstance in Russia as the crux to all of the story lines.
Within the wonderful medley of talent were Elena Gorokovha, reading from her memoir Russian Tatoo; Katherine Dovlatov, reading from Pushkin Hills, the beloved novel by Sergei Dovlatov that she translated; Rebecca Baldridge, reading from her forthcoming novel, Moscow to the End of the Line; and the evening hostess, Vica Miller, who read a passage from her debut novel, Inga’s Zigzags.
Vica Miller: Inga’s Zigzags
What an enchanting and memorable evening, rich in Russian colloquialisms and exhilarating experiences in pre-mil-lineal Moscow! Recently, Vica gifted me a copy of Inga’s Zigzags, and what a delight it was to peel through such a witty, memorable and intelligently written novel. The reader follows the protagonist, Inga Belova, as she zigzags her way from New York, to Moscow, to London with an incalculable rhythm, all the while witnessing the emotional evolution that accompanies this transcontinental journey.
As a young, female entrepreneur who’s trotted the globe and travailed in some of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities, I found Inga’s trials, trepidation and triumphs to be relatable and palpable. Her uncertainty of career, nationality, and sexuality enhances the cultural/generational relevancy of the story line, while heightening one’s intrigue of the author.
Luckily, I had a few moments to chat with Vica in between champagne toasts and congratulatory chatter. When asked what she believes is the most important aspect of Inga Belova’s character development, she gazed pensively into the distance and replied “The most important character development is that she [Inga] stopped doubting herself …and feeling second class [as an immigrant]. She sheds that immigrant identity – during her presentation in London – and evolves as a self-reliant woman, who no longer needs to depend on endorsements or approval of others.” Well said, Vica!
Photos courtesy of Nikita Yurenev
What a pleasure and privilege to attend such a dynamic gathering of contemporary Russian talent in a rich cultural hub as New York. While I may sometimes question life’s inexplicable calculations, there’s no disputing my new found loyalty to Vica Miller’s Literary Salons!
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