Verena Güntner reads Medulla at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf

Verena Güntner reads Medulla at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf

On October 16, 2026, Verena Güntner will introduce her novel Medulla as part of the Literature Days Düsseldorf. The reading in the Creamcheese Room of the Kunstpalast focuses on three women, three conflicting life concepts, and the question of who owns one's own body.

Three Women, Three Decisions

Siv does not want to become a mother and sticks to her decision even in the face of an unwanted pregnancy. Leyla has longed for a child all her life but changes her stance when she herself becomes pregnant. Esther decides to keep her child and later regrets this decision. Güntner's novel does not present these positions as simple opposites but develops a polyphonic panorama of modern relationships.

Body, Self-determination, and Loss of Control

Medulla tells of women who feel they are losing control over their bodies due to pregnancy and societal expectations. Their counter-movement is uncompromising. At the same time, the men by their side experience a loss of control over their partner, relationship, and own life. From this tension arises a literary discourse on motherhood, desire, responsibility, and female self-determination.

An Author Between Theater and Contemporary Literature

Verena Güntner was born in 1978 in Ulm, graduated in acting from the Mozarteum Salzburg, and worked for several years as an ensemble member at the Theater Bremen. With excerpts from her debut novel Es bringen, she reached the finals of the Open Mike, won the Kelag Prize at the Ingeborg Bachmann Competition, and received further work scholarships. Her novel Power was nominated for the Leipzig Book Fair Prize; for it, she received the promotion award of the Schubart Literature Prize.

Language Art with Scenic Intensity

Güntner's writing combines narrative precision with a distinct, poetically condensed language. Her experience as an actress shapes the reading atmosphere: voice, rhythm, and character speech gain an immediate presence. The literary experience thrives on the tension between intimate author encounters and socially relevant themes.

Reading in the Creamcheese Room

The event starts at 6 PM and lasts for 90 minutes. The Creamcheese Room is accessed through the Café and Restaurant Anna Maria. The room is unseated; museum stools are provided as seating. The reading takes place in cooperation with the Literaturbüro NRW.

Conclusion: Literature as an Encounter with Uncomfortable Questions

Verena Güntner's Medulla promises an intense reading about self-determination, body politics, and the contradictory reality of modern relationships. Those who wish to experience contemporary literature with linguistic artistry and social relevance will find a concentrated evening full of literary tension at the Kunstpalast Düsseldorf.

Official Channels of Verena Güntner:

• Instagram: no official profile found
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• Website: no official profile found
• Publisher: no official profile found

Sources:

• Kunstpalast Düsseldorf – Reading Verena Güntner reads from Medulla
• Literaturbüro NRW – Calendar of Literature Days Düsseldorf
• Munzinger – Biography Verena Güntner
• Wikipedia – Verena Güntner