WORK CATEGORY
Illustration
What does “can’t go back” feel like?
Nostalgia is an important notion of Romanticism, a product of modernity, and an emotion produced by modernization. In Heidegger's "Being and Truth", people in modern society are considered "thrown away", and “thrown away” refers to a homeless condition. People roam between the countryside and the city, full of contradictions and bewilderment. Can't go back, a scenario where everyone probably has been through, the closest place to despair.
Illustration
Nostalgique
What does “can’t go back” feel like?
Nostalgia is an important notion of Romanticism, a product of modernity, and an emotion produced by modernization. In Heidegger's "Being and Truth", people in modern society are considered "thrown away", and “thrown away” refers to a homeless condition. People roam between the countryside and the city, full of contradictions and bewilderment. Can't go back, a scenario where everyone probably has been through, the closest place to despair.
The complex emotions people have towards the countryside, "yearning while escaping," have led to the loss of their spiritual homeland.
The hometown we long to return to has become an idealized fantasy. The search for one's homeland is actually an unreachable dream, an idealized utopia. Nostalgia is not just about missing home, nor is it solely for those who are far from their hometown.
Research shows that nostalgia can counteract feelings of loneliness, boredom, and anxiety. It makes people more generous towards strangers and more tolerant of outsiders. It is only when we reflect on the past that we truly feel alive.
I hope my work can convey a message to those lost souls: "Nostalgia brings valuable experiences that make us believe in our worth and lead meaningful lives."
My grandfather passed away on April 16, 2008.
My grandmother passed away on March 26, 2018.
I dedicate this artwork to commemorate them,
as they will forever be my hometown in my heart.
