Bob Dylan receives Nobel Literature prize in Stockholm

Almost six months after he was announced as the winner of the award, legendary US singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has formally accepted his Nobel Prize in Literature. The ceremony was a small, private affair in Stockholm.

Behind closed doors and away from the world's media, Bob Dylan has collected his Nobel Literature diploma and medal in Sweden's capital.

He was named as the winner of the prestigious accolade in October last year for creating "new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition."

Klas Ostergren, a member of the Swedish Academy, said the 75-year-old American singer-songwriter received his award on Saturday afternoon during a small gathering at a hotel next to the conference center where Dylan was performing a concert later that night.

'A very nice, kind man'

The intimate event was in line with the singer's wishes, with just academy members and a member of Dylan's staff in attendance, Ostergren said.

"It went very well indeed," he added, describing Dylan as "a very nice, kind man."

Other members of the academy told Swedish media that Dylan seemed pleased by the award. Hours earlier, during his show in Stockholm, Dylan made no reference to the Nobel award. The musician previously declined the invitation to attend the traditional Nobel Prize banquet and ceremony on December 10 last year, citing other commitments.

Nobel lecture still to come

According to Nobel Prize guidelines, in order to receive the award - worth 8 million kronor ($894,800 / 839,000 euros) winners must present a lecture within six months of the December 10 ceremony. The lecture can take various forms, including a short speech, a performance, a video broadcast or a song.

Dylan said he would not give his Nobel lecture this weekend, but a recorded version of it will be sent later. Pre-recorded Nobel lectures are not without precedent. Canadian Nobel literature laureate Alice Munro also sent a taped lecture in 2013.

'Are my songs literature?'

After becoming the first songwriter to win the award in October, Dylan kept silent for two weeks, fueling speculation about whether he would accept the prize.

In a thank you speech, which was read aloud during December's ceremony, he apologized for not being able to attend the event, adding that he was surprised to be placed in the same league of authors such as Ernest Hemingway and Albert Camus.

"Not once have I ever had the time to ask myself, 'Are my songs literature?'" he noted in his speech.

ksb/gsw (AFP, AP) / Redakcja polska