Hugo Claus, more than just a Flemish writer

Hugo Claus, the Flemish artist, writer, poet, filmmaker and playwright, passed away March 19th at the age of 78. Interviewed by Jean-Claude Vantroyen, Jan Goossens, the director of the Royal Flemish Theatre (KVS) recalls that this Dutch-language writer wasn't always as appreciated. He also praised Claus' anti-nationalist positions. "Fundamentally, he was a bastard-artist. He loved mixes, anything hybrid. His biggest enemy was purity. In his literary work, and as a human being. He couldn't stand anything nationalist, closed or monocultural. He fought this tendency in Flanders from his first day to his last. Flanders salutes him now, but there were always difficult and problematic relations with him. Today, he's a great man. This was not always the case."

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