June 2025

Writer Julia Zolotova and Iris Wolff

Language, Borders, and the Alchemy of Translation

Yesterday evening at Goethe-Institut’s library felt like stepping into a literary time capsule. The discussion around Iris Wolff’s Blurred wasn’t just another book launch — it was a masterclass in how stories cross borders, both geographical and linguistic. Watching Wolff speak about her Transylvanian childhood while Ruth Martin explained her translation choices from German made […]

Language, Borders, and the Alchemy of Translation Read More »

Writer Julia Zolotova at the Yoshimoto Nara exhibition

Nara’s Defiant Eyes at the Hayward

Yesterday’s visit to Yoshitomo Nara’s retrospective at the Hayward Gallery left me contemplating the intersection of childhood consciousness and artistic resistance—themes surprisingly relevant to contemporary storytelling. Nara’s wide-eyed, large-headed figures possess an unsettling directness that reminded me of writing character psychology. These aren’t cute children; they’re complex beings carrying both vulnerability and defiance. Standing before

Nara’s Defiant Eyes at the Hayward Read More »

Writer Julia Zolotova visiting "At Your Own Pace" event

At Your Own Pace: Reflections on Creativity and Community

Yesterday’s “At Your Own Pace” at the Southbank Centre reminded me why London’s creative scene continues to inspire my writing. Curated entirely by young London creatives, the event moved through three acts—prelude, interlude, outro—that felt remarkably similar to how I structure my novels. The afternoon collage session, creating album artwork inspired by Little Simz’s aesthetic,

At Your Own Pace: Reflections on Creativity and Community Read More »

Writer Julia Zolotova with her book The Influencer's canvas at Waterstones Bishopsgate

Reflecting on The Influencer’s Canvas Reading

Last night’s reading at Waterstones Bishopsgate was everything I hoped it would be—and more intimate than I expected. When you organize an event yourself, there’s always that moment of uncertainty: will anyone show up? Will the conversation flow? Will the words I’ve labored over resonate when spoken aloud? The setting couldn’t have been more perfect.

Reflecting on The Influencer’s Canvas Reading Read More »