THE BOOK OF MEMORY GAPS

We are the things we don’t remember, the blank spaces, the forgotten words… So begins THE BOOK OF MEMORY GAPS, a delightfully witty and poignant collection of memory disorders, conceived and illustrated by artist and designer Cecilia Ruiz.

Her keenly intelligent art reveals a pitch-black-perfect sense of humor and a discerning, unique command of color. In The Book of Memory Gaps, she has created miniature stories that examine the curious and capricious nature of memory: there is Polina, a ballerina unable to create new memories, who dances her premiere each night; Pavel, a violinist who forgets what he has just played, and so rehearses the same melody again and again; Simon, a priest who remembers every act of sin confessed to him as if he has committed them himself. Accompanied by color illustrations throughout, Ruiz’s concise, lyrical prose captures the delicate and fleeting nature of memory, as well as its immense power. It is, after all, the intangible force that tethers us to our “self”—for who would we be without it?

Ruiz’s prose captures her dark wit in intriguing vignettes, making this book an entertaining and thought-provoking read. The Gothic humor will certainly appeal to fans of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey.

Cecilia Ruiz is an illustrator and graphic designer living and working in New York. She obtained a BFA in graphic design from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and a MFA in illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. This is her first book. You can read more about her here: http://www.ceciliaruiz.com/