Pablo Baler studies the ruptures and continuities linking the de-centered dynamics of the 17thcentury to the logic of instability that permeates 20th century visual and literary production in Latin America. Bringing philosophy, literary interpretation, art criticism, and a poetic approach to the history of ideas, Baler offers a new perspective from which to understand the uncanny phenomenon of baroque distortion. This interdisciplinary inquiry not only leads to a more specific formulation regarding the singularity of the reappropriations of the baroque in Spanish America, but also allows for a more comprehensive assessment of its historical reach in the broader context of the representational crisis of modernity.
"Latin American Neo-Baroque: Senses of Distortion is more than a guide to understanding the Baroque and Neo-Baroque. It is an interdisciplinary text that offers the multifaceted perspectives to which it alludes. The creative and cogent readings of both visual and literary works construct a convincing paradigm. Pablo Baler makes a significant contribution to the study of the Neo- Baroque, and this book should be included in the library holdings as a reference for scholars." (Dinora Cardoso, Hispania, Vol. 101 (1), March, 2018)