In the previous post we looked at the preudo-nacre iridescences of the Anomia shell; today, let’s play with bizarre assonances and look at the concept of anemoia.
This word refers to a nostalgia for a time one has never known, for something that was never a part of one's own personal experience. The term can be found in John Koenig's Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a book that includes new words for emotions that currently lack vocabulary.
This is a feeling that recurs in in historical periods as well: during the Renaissance there was a renewed interest in classical texts and philosophies and architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) borrowed ideas from the classical architecture of Greece and Rome.
But anemoia is a feeling that comes back in literature and in films as well: in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011), for example, the protagonist, Gil, a writer struggling to finish his novel, is obsessed by Paris in the '20s. His profound admiration for the Lost Generation artists leads him on a time-traveling journey.
Along the way, he encounters Adriana, a woman nostalgic for another era she never experienced firsthand – the Belle Époque. Together, they venture into her preferred time period, where they cross paths with luminaries like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paul Gauguin, and Edgar Degas.
Surprisingly, the three of them agree that the pinnacle of civilization, their personal Golden Age, was the Renaissance, revealing to Gil that we tend to admire and long for eras we never experienced.
This sentiment of nostalgia for an era beyond personal experience, a yearning for a past enkindled by historical images, narratives, or depictions, also finds expression in the Japanese manga (and anime) series (and film saga) Thermae Romae by Mari Yamazaki.
Inspired by the author's passion for history, the series follows the adventures of Lucius, an ancient Roman architect who grapples with creative blocks but gains inspiration from eccentric time-traveling escapades that transport him to modern Japan.
On the musical front, Jay Swift's upcoming EP, "Instilled in You" (Alumni Records Glasgow), features a track titled "Anemoia." The lead melody in this composition incorporates a sample recorded in the 1920s.
In many ways, anemoia offers a refuge from our present, especially during the most challenging moments of our complex times. It's the impression that, upon glimpsing a photograph of Bauhaus students from 1927 on social media, we feel we could have belonged there or, when observing Schiaparelli's 1930s collections, we sense we might have shared her vision.
Regrettably, every era comes with its own set of challenges and dilemmas. There are no guarantees that we would have thrived or found greater happiness in another time and place. Frequently, anemoia stems indeed from personal dissatisfaction; nevertheless, nothing should stop us from daydreaming about a more alluring past. In fact, we should continue to dream and draw inspiration from this sentiment, this anemoia, for our creative endeavors.
By blending elements from various eras and crafting chronological dissonances, we can indeed forge new narratives, ideas, and works of art that transcend the boundaries of time. In this way, anemoia becomes a driver for innovation and a testament to the enduring power of human imagination rather than a mere escape from the challenges of the present.