Fragments of light: memory, art, and the longing to preserve
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Abstract
What is art without nostalgia? Artists and writers alike are fueled by longing for something so distant in their memory and imagination that they often find themselves in desperate attempts to replicate that which was once lost. I myself suffer from nostalgia — its waves hitting me every now and then, convincing me that life, enshrouded in the veil of memory, is much more beautiful, appealing, and desirable compared to what I can see, feel, and hear right in front of me, right in this moment. I find myself incapable of seeing clearly with my eyes constantly seeking to catch a glimpse of something familiar. Yet, memory is distorting and so are all of my attempts to replicate the past.