Lavinia reviewed Optic Nerve by Maria Gainza
Review of 'Optic Nerve' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
At first I thought this is a book of short stories; and it is actually a series of tales, but they are all connected to each other forming a novel about Maria, a writer of art history who lives in Buenos Aires.
Maria, who is the narrator of the story, tells her story in pieces, and each one of these pieces is related to a certain painter and a work of art, in a seemingly random order. Some of them are important, other, like the episodes of Maria’s clumsiness appear to be insignificant and funny. Others are about her moods and her fears, and tiny things, like being soaked by a puddle or accidentally sitting on her glasses; also the people she meets, marginalised people who are considered ‘black sheep’ by their families for a wide variety of reasons. Between these episodes there are unfinished things, gaps which seem to …
At first I thought this is a book of short stories; and it is actually a series of tales, but they are all connected to each other forming a novel about Maria, a writer of art history who lives in Buenos Aires.
Maria, who is the narrator of the story, tells her story in pieces, and each one of these pieces is related to a certain painter and a work of art, in a seemingly random order. Some of them are important, other, like the episodes of Maria’s clumsiness appear to be insignificant and funny. Others are about her moods and her fears, and tiny things, like being soaked by a puddle or accidentally sitting on her glasses; also the people she meets, marginalised people who are considered ‘black sheep’ by their families for a wide variety of reasons. Between these episodes there are unfinished things, gaps which seem to represent a kind of loss, a reminder perhaps that we live in a society that feels like everything is going in fast motion, “a society that no longer saw itself living in a time of continuity, but rather a time of contingency.”
“It reminded me that all of art rests in the gap between that which is aesthetically pleasing and that which truly captivates you. And that the tiniest thing can make a difference.”
And then there is the art. A series of wonderful short stories that help us catch a glimpse from the lives of artists that we know so little about or nothing at all. Maria describes the painting she adores, they become the focus of her stories. In each chapter there is a new artist to discover, the painting becomes a story of itself. It’s a new kind of art-criticism, beautiful and accessible, a criticism that transcend prevailing social and cultural norms. As none of these painting appear in the book I strongly recommend searching them.
Optic Nerve is a delightful and enjoyable reading experience. In this period of general cessation, where we’re trying to adjust to a life under lockdown in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, María’s unpretentious elusiveness was wonderful and therapeutic.
Full review Optic Nerve by María Gainza