Susana Thénon’s Ova Completa: Book Launch
On December 17, 2020, UDP hosted the launch event for Ova Completa by Argentine poet Susana Thénon (1935–1991). Poets Asiya Wadud and Silvina López Medin read from their work, followed by a reading from Rebekah Smith, UDP editor and Ova Completa’s translator. Additional contributions were made by Victoria Cóccaro and Emma Wippermann during the reading.
Along with fellow UDP apprentices Ainee Jeong and Raphael Schnee, I prepared an introduction for one of the readers. Ainee introduced Susana Thenon & Rebekah Smith, Raphael introduced Silvinia López Medin, and I introduced Asiya Wadud. I was first introduced to Wadud through her book Syncope (UDP, 2019) and have since enjoyed exploring more of her work. Finding her work through UDP has provided comfort and solace even during a time that has been extremely difficult for many of us. For me, it felt special for Asiya Wadud and Silvina López Medin to join Rebekah Smith during this particular reading of Ova Completa.
I, along with the other members of the audience, were able to bear witness to an astounding night of community during the Ova Completa launch. Though sharing space has been rather difficult during the course of the pandemic, gathering virtually for this reading brought people together from various corners of the world, including Argentina, where Susana Thénon is from.
As Rebekah, Silvina, and Asiya read in a call-and-response fashion from Ova Completa, I found myself relating to Thénon’s self-reflecting commentary of decades past. Similarly to Mónica de la Torre, “I’m in disbelief that these poems were written over thirty year ago by someone born in 1935.” Hearing each of their voices cradling Thénon’s musings as chorus, it felt more as though Ova Completa was always meant to be experienced with a community of others. Being introduced to this sample of meditations by Susana Thénon makes me grateful for the world of translation and the relationship UDP continues to create with the writers of our past, often lost to time and not given their appropriate consideration.
Ova Completa is available for pre-order and will be shipping in early March 2021. For more information on how to purchase, follow the link here.
— Bria Strothers
