Introduction
Childhood memories are often underestimated as the force behind people’s artistic expression, yet it produces a tremendous impact on how people view reality, interpret it, and perceive it emotionally. Childhood nostalgia drives a wide variety of artists to create art pieces that incorporate their early memories and convey a sense of wistfulness (Thompson & Jaque 2018). However, the forms that early childhood nostalgia takes are unsurprisingly numerous.
The observed inclination to portray childhood memories in unique and easily distinguishable forms is understandable, yet there is a common characteristic of the art pieces inspired by childhood memories. The tendency to include the details that either strike with their simplicity and basic colors or seem vaguely distant can be seen as one of the most common forms of representing childhood nostalgia in paintings, as the art pieces created by Ross Taylor, Carmen Selma, Hung Liu, and the “Nubian House” artwork exemplify.
Triangulated Studies
Study 1: “The Nubian House.”
Despite being very personal, childhood memories open the gateway to public discussion and allow everyone to use their imagination in order to explore the deeper meanings of art pieces by relating to them in a very personal way. The “Nubian House” was created as a reference to my childhood and the experiences that I had growing up in Egypt. Thus, the “Nubian House” represents the Egyptian culture and the environment of a typical Egyptian setting through the eyes of a child, allowing the viewer to enjoy a very saturated picture and receive a very powerful, although slightly exaggerated, idea of what living in Egypt as a child might seem like.
The use of primary colors, thick brush strokes, and slightly blurred lines help to create the sense of a dreamlike setting that reflects the nature of childhood memories with their sense of vagueness perfectly.
Overall, the simplicity of the silhouettes and the use of primary colors that contrast with each other and create a memorable image help to create an environment that has dreamlike plasticity and serves as the foil for exploring one’s childhood impressions and experiences. The art piece evokes the memories that one may have built during one’s childhood and addresses the unique perception of reality that children have at an early age. The idea of seeing the world as a bright and colorful place invites the opportunity for the viewer to accept the perspective of naïve excitement and expectation of wonder, which transforms a seemingly simple image into a source of multiple emotions and impressions.
The “Nubian House” represents a foray into the time of early childhood, when I was exposed to the Egyptian culture. The presence of geometric patterns that are quite typical of the Islamic culture is, therefore, justified by their connection to my early childhood memories. The bright and vivid primary colors used in the artwork also helps the viewers to make the connection to their childhood and the vivid impressions related to it, thus making the message of the painting universal. Despite being linked to a very specific culture and quite unique memories, the “Nubian House” also offers every viewer an opportunity to enter their own realm of imagination and early childhood memories to create a vignette of unique impressions and enjoy the artistry of the painting.
Study 2: “Spanish City.”
Ross Taylor is a renowned artist who has been known for his works that strive to capture the magic of the moment and seek to explore how memories are reflected in art. Having grown up in England and studied art both in England and Germany, Taylor has embraced different cultural perspectives on painting (McGarry 2019). Taylor’s paintings, often being very simplistic and quite fragmented, can be seen as scattered memories that can make a cohesive picture once unified into a single entity.
Ross Taylor’s “Manor Walks” encompasses the period in his childhood when he lived in Northumberland from the current adult perspective of a resident of regional Victoria (Needham 2017). Thus, the often-exaggerated and strikingly colorful childhood memories blend with the reality as seen through the pragmatic lens of Taylor’s adult life. The resulting hybrid of memories and reality takes the dreamlike shape that shines through the crisp and clear lines of the painting, creating an outline of the images that Taylor saw as a child. As a result, childhood memories gain wondrous shapes, transforming the basic environment into a fairy-tale setting.
“Spanish City” is one of the paintings represented in Ross Taylor’s “Manor Walks.”
Performed with a pencil, the art strikes with its simplicity and the accuracy of its emotional articulation. Every pencil stroke represents a unique expression of thought and is imbued with a strong emotional meaning. For example, the rough lines are supposed to represent the fleeting nature of childhood memories and especially the sense of joy and wonder (Needham 2017). The juxtaposition of primary colors, namely, red, yellow, and blue, helps to convey the emotions of joy and nostalgia, as they harken back to the childhood impressions and the memories that one keeps about these experiences (Muñoz-Alonso 2017).
The emotional articulation of the art pieces manifests itself in walking “the fine line between luxury and debauchery” (McGarry 2019). Similar to childhood memories, most of which fade away as one grows older, with only the most vivid ones staying intact, the painting contains only the brightest primary colors, discarding anything in-between and creating an easily memorable combination of colors and shapes.
In addition, the painting represents a nod to the early development of one’s identity and the understanding of one’s belonging. Although “Spanish City” is incredibly simplistic, it manages to incorporate the elements of the Spanish culture that shine through every single line and curve (Muñoz-Alonso). As a result, the painting also becomes emblematic of one’s roots and origins, calling the audience to keep a strong sense of their identity and remember where they belong, which makes “Spanish City” a perfect specimen of emotionally driven art.
As emphasized above, Taylor has been widely recognized for his simplistic and expressive style. The artworks that he creates typically contain hidden layers of meanings for which the audience has to search by peeling off the layers of metaphors that he incorporates into his seemingly basic works. The careful use of a color palette and clear, linear elements helps to create easily recognizable imagery, whereas the vagueness of details introduces dreamlike plasticity to his artworks (Muñoz-Alonso 2017). As seen in “Manor Walks,” Taylor prefers to create art pieces that audiences can use to construct their own reality and indulge in reminiscences from their distant childhood.
Arguably, “Manor Walks” and “Spanish City” in particular deviate from the traditional approach that Taylor uses to create his art pieces. Instead of creating images that incorporate complex metaphors and appeal to his audiences on multiple intercultural levels, the “Spanish City is almost blunt in its interpretation of childhood perceptions. However, the naiveté of the child’s perspective and the ability to see the complex multicultural environment from the position of a child are the details that make the “Spanish City” a particularly interesting artwork. The “Spanish City” charms with its juxtaposition of colors and the simplicity of its lines.
Study 3: “Serie Vencidos.”
Although the idea of recalling childhood and returning to the experiences that one had as a child might seem fairly innocent, these attempts to revitalize the past may turn out to be quite unexpected and challenging than one might think. Carmen Selma is another artist whose works are linked to the experiences that one may have as a child, yet her art pieces incite anything but the feeling of innocent wonder. Selma has been known for her oil paintings, primarily portraits (“Carmen Selma” 2019). The artist has been praised for the focus on memories and the incorporation of contemplations about the past into her paintings, imbuing them with additional messages and allowing the viewers to discover them by peeling them off, layer by layer.
However, instead of relishing in the past as her constant refuge from the present, the artist manages to connect the two concepts in her art pieces, creating unique paintings and producing artworks that are thrillingly surreal and mesmerizingly poignant. The use of the past as the means of exploring the present is one of the essential ideas that run through Selma’s works: “She feels a special interest in discovering the past, immersing herself in it to try to understand the present” (“Carmen Selma” 2019). Therefore, the artist’s use of memories is not only aesthetic but also functional since Selma invites her viewers to re-evaluate their past experiences and consider their future ones through the lens of the past.
When considering the artistic style in which Selma paints, as well as the devices that she uses to imbue her paintings with references to childhood memories, one will need to refer to the sense of dreamlike environment once again. Although the imagery is far from being peaceful and soothing, the plasticity of the imagery reminds those of Taylor. The art piece is expected to convey a very specific idea, namely, one of memory and experiences being the tools for self-improvement and becoming a better person.
Nevertheless, the form that these ideas take is surreal and often unconventional, shocking the audience into paying attention and considering the artist’s message. In addition, similarly to the artworks of Taylor, the art pieces created by Selma also incorporate very rich colors that are mostly primary. In “Serie Vencidos,” the image that borders nightmarish and can be seen as frightening also has a unique palette that consists mostly of primary colors.
Although on closer inspection, more nuanced elements can be spotted in the painting, the first impression leaves the viewer with the image that incorporates mostly red and green elements in an overwhelmingly blue background. Thus, the colors do not distract the audience from relating to the main message of the art piece. The central image, in turn, is outlined clearly enough for the viewer to discern a person in it, yet it contains the surreal quality that pushes it into the uncanny valley territory, thus encouraging the viewer to recall their innermost childhood fears and embrace them.
Study 4: “Old Gold Mountain.”
Another artist that addresses the theme of memories quite often in her work is Hung Liu. Having become a renowned artist in the U.S., Liu explores the legacy of the Chinese culture as one of the crucial constituents of her personal and artistic identity (“Hung Liu: offerings 2013” 2019). Therefore, the theme of memories trickles into every artwork produced by Liu as the reminder of the essential part of per culture and the need to reconcile her memories of China with her present life in the U.S. (“Hung Liu: offerings 2013” 2019).
Using installations as her preferred method of artistic expression, Liu creates unforgettable and thought-provoking pieces, such as “Offerings.” Being rooted in the memories of her past life in China and the experiences that she had when interacting with her own culture, the works that the artist creates reflect the importance of processing memories and understanding them as the tool for self-cognition.
The art piece under analysis is quite different from the other three discussed above, not only in its content but also in its context. The form that Hung Liu’s work takes this time is not incidental, yet it still bears the unique touch of unpredictability and represents a challenge to viewers as the combination of ideas, memories, and symbols. “Offerings” represents. “Jui Jin Shan,” or “Old Gold Mountain,” is a very low hill in which two railroad ways lie in an intersection.
The symbolism of the art piece in question is staggeringly poignant since the artwork hints at the importance of life choices, the ways in which these choices echo in one’s later life, and the way in which people’s paths may cross. When approaching the artwork from the perspective of the authorial intent, one will realize that the “Old Gold Mountain” is expected to embody the “passage between two societies, their past, and present, and the sense of impermanence that is basic to human experience” that the artist has experienced in her life (“Hung Liu: Offerings” 2013).
In addition, the symbolism of the art piece harkens back to the era when Chinese workers were hired to construct the railroad that would encourage the further development of the Gold Rush and allow more visitors to come to the supposed locations of gold mines to become instantly and irrevocably rich. Surprisingly, the art manages to incorporate the legacy of the Chinese culture of the era and the emotional impact of the futile endeavors of gold diggers.
“Offerings” is expected to set the basis for a meticulous study of one’s personal experiences, the paths that one may have chosen, and the roads that one may have even forgotten to have taken. As a result, it becomes not only a part of an artist’s childhood memories but also a crucial part of the collective memory. A crucial part of the Chinese history and its legacy are baked into the body of “Offerings,” making it intriguingly somber. Thus, the art piece created by Hung Liu has built a life of its own, garnering credibility and acclaim as one of the art pieces that remain relatable to people from any cultural background.
Conclusion
By combining the simplicity of forms with either vividly plain or dreamlike and intentionally vague colors, artists manage to emphasize the presence of their childhood memories in their art pieces, thus making them distinctively unique. As the study of the four cases provided above has shown, the use of minimalistic forms and basic color schemes create a visual shorthand for delineating the thin line between the present and the past. Thus, audiences develop the feeling of a dreamlike reality when viewing the art pieces described above. Thus, childhood memories affect the choice of stylistic tools and expressive manners shown by artists.
The observed phenomenon occurs both on the subconscious level and with the understanding of the impact of nostalgia in mind, allowing artists to create truly unique pieces that harken back to their childhood memories. Moreover, the artistic expressivity of the art pieces and the careful selection of the stylistic tools allow the paintings to evoke the same feeling of nostalgia in viewers, helping them to relate to the artworks on a very personal level.
Reference List
Carmen Selma 2019. Web.
Hung Liu: offerings 2013. Web.
McGarry, S 2019, A foreign affair with Ross Taylor. Web.
Muñoz-Alonso, L 2017, 5 Exciting young artists to watch at Sunday Art Fair. Web.
Needham, C 2017, Ross Taylor Manor Walks 31 October – 18 November 2017. Web.
Thomson, P & Jaque, SV 2018, ‘Childhood adversity and the creative experience in adult professional performing artists,’ Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 9, pp. 111-114.