This Thursday the presentation of the 2024 Maria Ibars Year took place at the Dénia City Council, with a great reception from those attending. Among them was Patricia Payá, great-granddaughter of the writer; Verónica Cantó, president of the Valencian Academy of Language, together with Àngels Gregori, president of the commission in charge of the initiative; Vicent Grimalt, mayor of Dénia, and the historical researchers, Carles Mulet and Rosa Seser.
Patricia Payá has regretted not getting to know Maria, just as her father did not. However, her descendants say they feel "pride" for the writer who dedicated her work "to leaving a written record of a landscape, a time, a way of living, thinking and feeling."
"María Ibars's year is a leap year, out of the rule, like she was," comments her great-granddaughter, although she confesses not knowing how the author would feel about such a tribute, since she was "a woman who preferred to go unnoticed."
The family member sees it necessary "to vindicate figures like her, who make their way following their hearts, in a time full of divisions, sides and confrontations", with the aim of breaking stereotypes.
In this sense, the president of the Valencian Academy of Language, Verònica Cantó, has highlighted that with this initiative the institution aims to "rescue women writers from oblivion", since "literary creators are the most hidden." In fact, she is the third woman to whom the Academy dedicates a year, after Isabel de Villena and Carmelina Sánchez-Cutillas; a figure that draws attention because, as the president indicates, this tribute to writers began in 2004.
"She is a writer who literaturized Dénia and its region, the customs, the trades, the traditions and the particular landscape between the sea and the mountains," described Cantó, who has stated that she did so with "a feminine perspective, denouncing in her literary production the living conditions of the women of her time.
For his part, Vicent Grimalt wanted to highlight the need for "the admiration that Dénia feels for the writer to spread throughout the Valencian Community." The mayor has confessed to being "excited" at the presence of Maria Ibars' family.
Actions for the year María Ibars
Àngels Gregori, president of the Commission in charge of the Maria Ibars Year, has announced what actions the Academy is going to carry out to honor the writer. One of them will be a fixed exhibition for the end of the year in which the figure of the author will be shown, along with ethnographic elements related to her past. In addition, a traveling exhibition will be held, «Maria Ibars, a landscape of words. Writing and living in the shadow of Montgó.
On the other hand, there will be a co-edition of the work L'Últim serf which will go to reading clubs. There will also be an edition of a poetic anthology, a "Late Seminar" with the participation of specialists in the author and another conference at Font de la Figuera, where the writer spent some years of her life.
Finally, the Academy intends to promote the author on social networks, dedicate an event to her at the Dénia Humanities Festival and have created a logo in her honor.
The curators of the exhibitions Carles Mulet and Rosa Seser have shown their enthusiasm for being part of these projects, which are now in the design phase, since there has already been a prior collection of information on the subject. Seser has described the complexity of this research as it is “quite old” material.
They have highlighted the role that the Dénia Municipal Archive and the Ethnological museum to provide photographs about the author. In addition, they wanted to mention the role played by the current owner of Penyamar - Maria's old house that the researchers approached -, Pastor de Velasco, who also provided materials for this initiative.
