Del océano al verso. Las caracolas de Pablo Neruda

proposes the existence of a direct relation between his collection and his literary endeavours: be they natural objects, like a few thousands sea snails manically collected (...), artisanal objects, like the treasured and at some point lost far east masks, ship figureheads, jars and bottles, books on natural sciences, poetry, geography, the accumulation of his own poems, soon to be ordered for publication, and the poemswritten by others, acting like objects, triggers for memories, true memorabilia , instruments connecting the actions of collecting and writing. 7 Developing an interest in the understanding of the gathering of memorable objects that make up Neruda’s collection, allows us to understand the backdrop of his vast literary production. The pieces, reunited as a form of personal museum due to their distinctive features, connect one another through the poet’s travels, at the same time projecting his desire of the world. All of this gives us a glimpse of how, through his fascination with the sea, the tangible connects to the intangible, and materialities reflect his universalist vision. The collection not only offers a deep connection with the interests of the person behind the poet, it also insinuates that, by being given to one of the most relevant Chilean public institutions, this action is a stage in a "canonization" process for the subsequent monumentalization of his legacy. Neruda collected books, magazines, records, pipes, minerals [7] Celina Manzoni, "Coleccionismo y poesía. La Buenos Aires de Pablo Neruda", CELEHIS. Revista del Centro de Letras Hispanoamericanas 16 (2004): 141. 64 universidad de chile