Théo Casciani
Retina
Forthcoming: January 2027
First published by Éditions P.O.L. in 2019, Théo Casciani's debut novel has been acclaimed by Fabrice Gabriel as "opening the era of nouveau nouveau nouveau roman". Retina is a ceaseless ekphrasis of images that span space and time, from the preparation of an exhibition for Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster in Kobe, Japan, to the quest for a lover in Berlin on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. Capturing in prose such a vast and brilliant array of images, Retina is an exhibition in itself.
Author
Théo Casciani (b. 1995, Paris) is a French author whose work explores the intersection of literature, performance, and digital space. He studied at Sciences Po and Sorbonne University before joining La Cambre in Brussels, where he now lectures on literature and creative writing. His fiction has been presented internationally at institutions including the Louvre (Paris, 2023), Lafayette Anticipations (Paris, 2023), Centre Pompidou (Paris, 2022), WIELS (Brussels, 2022) and Kyoto Art Center (2019). He has also contributed to publications such as Kaleidoscope, Alphabet, Klima, Magma, The European Review of Books and The Brooklyn Rail.
Translator
Emma Ramadan is a translator from French to English. Her translations include writing and novels by Annie Ernaux, Marguerite Duras, Sophie Calle and Virginie Despentes.
Endorsements
"Is it possible to preserve emotional intimacy — love, in essence — in an environment of algorithmic coldness and constant visual saturation?
Retina is a remarkable example of “expanded literature”, and the closest thing to a catalogue of an exhibition by a master of the form: my beloved Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster."
— Enrique Vila-Matas
Original
French, Retine, Editions P.O.L., 2019
Specifications
110 × 170 mm
Paperback
ISBN
978-1-917913-10-2
Release
January, 2027