Introduction
Teaching Interests
Research
Publications
Educational Background
Course Listing

INTRODUCTION

Pablo Baler is a fiction writer, journalist, and art critic who teaches Spanish and Latin-American literature, as well as Visual Arts, Literary Theory, Critical Thinking and Creative Writing.

    In addition to his academic work as teacher and scholar, Baler has published extensively in newspapers and magazines, for the most part in Argentina and the U.S. (Sculpture, Clarín, Museum, Buenos Aires Herald, and La Opinion among others) and has worked as news-writer for Univision/San Francisco. As a fiction writer, Baler was awarded two national literary prizes in Argentina for his novel Circa (Buenos Aires: Ed. Galerna, 1999) and has received recognition in Argentina, Spain (Círculo Cultural Faroni), and Chile (Revista Ciudad Invisible) for his short stories; some of which were anthologized in Ramuri Magazine (April 2009, translated into Rumanian by Tudora Şandru-Mehedinţi), Golden Handcuffs Review (2008, translated into English by Matt Losada), Quince Líneas (Barcelona: ed. Tusquets, 1996), and Nuevos Cuentistas Argentinos (Buenos Aires: ed. Red Literaria Sur, 1995).

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TEACHING INTERESTS

Literary Theory, Aesthetics, Literature and Philosophy, The Avant-garde, 20th and 21st century Latin-American short story, History of the Spanish American novel, Creative writing and Creative reading, Spanish Journalism, Visual and Cultural criticism, Baroque and Neo-baroque aesthetics.

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RESEARCH

Pablo Baler’s research focuses on 20th century Latin American literature and visual culture with a strong emphasis on theoretical issues pertaining to philosophy, aesthetics, and the history of ideas. Baler’s doctoral dissertation, later published as Los sentidos de la distorsion: fantasias epistemologicas del neobarroco latinoamericano (Senses of Distortion: Epistemological Fantasies of the Neo-Baroque - 2009 Ed. Corregidor), explores the ruptures and continuities linking the decentered dynamics of the 17th century (Quevedo, Góngora, Bernini) to the logic of instability that permeates 20th century visual and literary production in Latin America (Huidobro, Borges, Sarduy).

   Los sentidos de la distorsion corresponds to a broader interest in the origins and implications of representational crises. In that sense, Baler’s current research further inquires into a wide range of aesthetic problems and solutions brought about by the shattering experience of violence (war, torture, terrorism, martyrdom) as reflected in theatre, cinema, and the visual arts in the context of the Americas of the 20th and 21st century.

    Connected to this interest in the dynamics of representational crises and artistic revolutions, Baler is exploring and assessing the scope of current trends in the art world. As part of this project focused on art criticism, history of ideas, and cultural theory, Baler is currently editing a collection of essays written by a broad range of authors that will offer different perspectives and insights into the aesthetic sensibility that is starting to define the 21st century. This book, entitled: The Next Thing: Art in the 21st Century will be a collection of contestable "prophecies" about the sensibility that will define our time.

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PUBLICATIONS

	Los sentidos de la distorsion: fantasias epistemologicas del neobarroco latinoamericano Research focusing on the epistemological underpinnings of neobaroque aesthetics Published in January 2009 Coleccion Nueva Critica Hispanoamericana - Editorial Corregidor. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
	Chapter on visual artist Liliana Porter anthologized in Conversations on Sculpture. Washington: University of Washington Press and International Sculpture Center, 2007. Conversations on Sculpture explores the state of sculpture today from the artist's perspective.
	Circa (novel) Buenos Aires: Ed. Galerna, 1999: Erotic-metaphysical thriller First National Prize from Secretaria de Cultura de la Nación de la Presidencia (Argentina) 1996-97. Second Prize Concurso de Novela Fondo Nacional de las Artes, 1998.
	"Hormiga Soluble", short story published in international anthology Quince Lineas, (Coleccion Andanzas). Barcelona: Ed. Tusquets, 1996. Awarded the “Circulo Cultura Faroni” recognition, Madrid.
	Opening Chapter: “Abstraccion y Figuracion” en Reflejos Argentinos Buenos Aires: Ed. Fundación Surcos, 1999: 9-19
	"El mago pelado de rulos", short story published in Argentine anthology Nuevos Cuentistas Argentinos, Buenos Aires: Ed. Red Literaria Sur, 1995.

.Translations (in collaboration with Matt Losada)

Poetry written by Eduardo D'Anna forthcoming Fall 2009 by Golden Handcuffs Review (Vol. 1 No. 12).

Excerpt from Luisa Valenzuela’s novel La travesia Golden Handcuffs Review Winter/Spring 2009 (Vol. 1. No. 11).

Poems by Adriana Borga, Luisa Futoransky and Concepción Bertone. Golden Handcuffs Review Summer/Fall 2008 (Vol. 1, No. 10).

Articles

"Del perro andaluz al fantasma de la libertad: la evolución del surrealismo en Luis Buñuel”. KARPA, Journal of Theatrical and Visual Culture Criticism. January, 30th, 2009.

“Facundo, Civilización y Barbarie: Panfleto Épico: Apuntes para una poética del racismo, el autoritarismo y la egomanía en la Argentina.” Everba, Summer 2003. Electronic journal

“El fenómeno Isabel Allende” cover article Nuevo Mundo/San Jose Mercury News. September 20, 2002: 26-7.

“Tulio Romano: Escultor Argentino” Lucero. University of California, Berkeley. Volume 13,  Spring 2002: 190-1.

“The Doors of Expression: the work of art in the age of quantum processing power” Sculpture Vol. 21 No 4 (May 2002): 44-51. 

 “La maduración del ‘enfant terrible’”. Book review. El Escritor, el Amor y la Muerte de Enrique Medina.  Lucero. University of California, Berkeley. Volume 12, Spring 2001: 127. Also in BUENOS AIRES HERALD, 28-III-1999.

“Archeology of Time: A Conversation with Claudia Aranovich” Cover article, Sculpture Vol. 20 No 4 (May 2001): 22-27.

“The Subconscious of Civilization: An interview with Liliana Porter” Sculpture magazine Vol 20 No.1 (Jan/Feb 2001): 36-41

 “James Peck: Landscapes of the Soul” Arte Al Día (International Magazine of Latin American Art) Year 20 Nº78 – Argentina, Jan 2000: 30-33.

 “La Argentina Incorregible” Proa, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tercera Epoca #43 October, 1999: 85-6.

“Borges Apócrifo” Proa, Buenos Aires, Special Edition, Tercera Epoca, #42, July/August, 1999: 113-4. Also in Everba Summer 2002

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EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Ph.D. Hispanic Languages and Literatures May, 2006

• U. C. Berkeley
  Berkeley, California

M.A. Latin-American Literature May, 1994

• Stanford University
  Palo Alto, California

B.A. Philosophy June, 1991

• Hebrew University
  Jerusalem, Israel

B.A. Spanish Literature June, 1991

• Hebrew University
  Jerusalem, Israel

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COURSES TAUGHT

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EVENTS ORGANIZED