During a recent trip to Corfu,Greece. I had the pleasure of reading Lawrence Durrell's "Prospero's Cell".
Not only did it describe the area where I was staying, it did something that has often intrigued me.
It evoked the experience from memory, not from the present.
Durrell fleeing the start of the WWII escaped to Alexandria in Egypt, and not knowing whether or not he would ever return to his greek island home, he set about recounting as many memories and accounts of island life as he could before the memories started to fade with time.
The result, is a an emotionally charged ,vivid portrayal of a way of life and an environment that was about to change forever.
To link this to my visit and the work that I would create, made me think of some connections. Through Durrell's words, I pictured how life must have been there, whilst I actually looked with my own eyes on the views and scenes that he described.
The sparkling sunlight as the currents moved in the early morning sea breezes. The squid boats fishing by their huge lamps after a full moon.
These were so passionately described, I felt like I was actually present in that time.
A strange loop of emotions distant and present connecting through memories and words.
My work came from observing, photographing, discussing sights through conversations and with sketches in my pocket sketchbook.
Upon returning home I used the sketches, and memories to paint two small gouache paintings, and what I found was a week or two later as I painted these, some elements from my experience seemed really strong and forefront in my mind.
Is this possibly how Durrell felt as he wrote down his Greek recollections?
Maybe that's why some paintings and some artwork keep that feeling alive for us , so long after the visit, trip or holiday is over?
Maybe our nostalgia for the experience stays alive and even strengthens the more we enjoy looking at those paintings as the real life event fades into our past?
Just a thought. Does nostalgia or a period of time enhance your memories or special moments?
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