Alejandra Pizarnik (1936-1972) is one of the leading poets of the Argentine literary canon and a key figure in Latin American poetry of the second half of the twentieth century.

Born to Russian immigrant parents in Avellaneda, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Pizarnik studied Philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires, as well as painting with Juan Batlle Planas. From 1960 to 1964 she lived in Paris where she was an active participant in Parisian literary life and became friends with other writers in exile, including Julio Cortázar.

In 1962 she published her ground-breaking collection Árbol de Diana/ Diana’s Tree, which included a prologue by Octavio Paz, and was followed by five other critically acclaimed volumes of poetry and prose. Her Poesía completa, Prosa completa and Diarios have all been edited by her friend the poet Ana Becciú, and published by Lumen, Barcelona.