Contributions by Hilary Levinson
Hilary Levinson is a doctoral candidate in comparative literature at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on distance, expatriation, and translation in contemporary Chilean and Argentine novels, as well as on the relationship between photography, film, and text. She also enjoys reading and writing about pop culture, cooking, and doing yoga. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Mar del Plata
Rosario Bléfari
translated by Hilary Levinson
We’re standing in the plaza, watching the man who makes ashtrays in just a minute or two. The scent of freshly burned wood. The sound of the carving: the impact from the blow that splits the wood into pieces. Wood chips flying. Sawdust accumulating on the pavement. A secret understanding of figure and ground—knowing what needs to be removed in order to read what’s left in relief. The blowtorch used like a paintbrush. It’s nonstop entertainment because it lasts for a minute, and then it starts over again and there is always somebody ready to ask for the next one. I think about what name I would carve into the wood but I don’t smoke enough to have an ashtray with my name, nor do I have a relationship with anyone that is worthy … Read More »
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