El trasterramiento en la obra de Mercedes Pinto

Abstract

For a variety of reasons, many Spaniards emigrated to Latin America in the twentieth century. In cultural terms, this transatlantic movement of people implied the creation of important literary dialogues and productions that enriched both shores. In this context, we offer a reflection on the work of the Canarian author, Mercedes Pinto (1883–1976), following her exile in Uruguay during the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera. We will analyze the impact his exile exercised on her literary production following Gaos's concept of "trasterramiento." Further, taking Gonzalez Diaz's concept of the Canary Islander's "migraciones golondrinas" as a point of departure, we map out a reading of Pinto's work focusing on three key moments of her transatlantic crossing: the departure (expectations, perspectives, possibilities); the voyage itself and her subsequent wanderings; and the experience of exile (how life becomes literature). Her years of exile in several Latin American countries constituted a long and dynamic journey that proved fruitful for her writing. We thus approach her work from a dual perspective—analyzing both the aesthetic experience itself along with the places that populate it.