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OBVIOUS STATE BOOKS

Even This Twilight

Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda
Illustrated by Evan Robertson
Translated by Maite Jimenez

Pablo Neruda’s Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair captures the raw, unguarded beauty of love in all its forms—its ecstasies, heartbreaks, and quiet moments of yearning. Neruda’s verses transcend time and language, offering readers an intimate look at the human condition.

The book is fully illustrated by Obvious State Cofounder, Evan Robertson, and features a new translation by talented wordsmith Maite Jimenez - a bilingual translator and interpreter from Madrid, Spain. It combines Neruda's sensual, elegant poetry with provocative illustrations and bold typography for a unique, immersive reading experience.

Whether you're discovering these iconic poems for the first time or you already know and love the collection, we hope you enjoy this fresh, illustrated edition.

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Passionate & Expressionist

Neruda knows how to bring a little heat to poetry. Who said the classics were boring? 

Daring, metaphorical and sensuous, the poems juxtapose youthful passion and reflective anguish. The young Neruda draws from his own intimate experiences and expressionistic impressions of nature, which inpsired our artwork. In addition, we drew inspiration from the flora and fauna indigenous to his native Chile. 

The collection is an emotional and sensual exploration of love, infatuation, and despair. Even his most sexually charged metaphors also contain an austere appreciation of beauty and nature, at once deeply personal and highly universal.

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Illustrated Edition

"How can artwork live on the page with poetic text in a way that enhances it without upstaging it or undermining its ability to communicate? That was my main priority, and it informed everything about the visual approach.

The stark palette, the repetition of visual elements, and the balance of art and text all serve to drive the narrative forward. While there’s no “correct” way to visualize these works, I’ve chosen to focus on the broader themes rather than the literal narration of action. I wanted to create a seamless marriage of provocative visuals and punctuated language, both exploring the same idea in slightly different ways. The result, I hope, creates a uniquely illuminating and immersive experience for the reader, where the wisdom that the author and artist explore together are brought into sharper focus."

- Evan Robertson
Obvious State Cofounder & Illustrator

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Beautiful Typography

For this project, we selected Ogg—a luscious calligraphic serif typeface designed by Lucas Sharp. The design was inspired by the iconic hand lettering of twentieth century book designer and calligrapher Oscar Ogg. It captures the unique mix of calligraphic and typographic forms he achieved through his use of hand carved pen nibs. While Ogg is high contrast and dramatic, it remains refined and warm, which we think pairs perfectly with the art. 

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Pablo Neruda Art Print

In this illustration, we wanted to capture the human form as part of nature, and the universal longing of natural elements to merge together.

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