Exploring Cianalas.
I was visiting a very good friend of mine for drinks at her new flat the other evening after work, and we got onto the subject of how my course was going. I mentioned wanting to explore place attachment more when she brought up "hiraeth," a Welsh word she had come across while working on a short film that resonates with what I’ve been exploring recently. Following that conversation, I decided to read more about the term and see if there was a Scottish equivalent. Sure enough, I found cianalas, primarily used by Islanders from the Outer Hebrides. This connection is hardly surprising from a nation that has seen so much emigration, movement, and upheaval over the centuries.
Cianalas speaks to an intense connection with places of personal or cultural significance. By anchoring my art in locations tied to memories, I can express this bond through scenes or textures that evoke feelings of belonging, nostalgia, or even melancholy. This leads me to consider how I might represent these emotional ties through my practice, particularly using shadows as a visual element.
Exploring cianalas within the context of place attachment, collective memory, and constructive memory presents a rich opportunity to weave together deep emotional narratives. Here are some ways I envision integrating shadows and other techniques to explore these themes:
Place Attachment and the Emotion of Cianalas: I want to anchor my work in specific locations that resonate with my memories, using shadows to convey the emotional weight of those places. This could involve depicting landscapes, architectural details, or natural elements that embody my connections to certain locations. By creating a sense of distance in these pieces through fading lines or soft edges, I can symbolise places that feel both physically and temporally out of reach, emphasising the emotional distance yet intense connection characteristic of cianalas.
Collective Memory and Cianalas: Cianalas often involves memories that resonate not only with individuals but with entire cultures or groups. I plan to incorporate imagery or symbols shared by my family or community, such as local artefacts or landscapes, that evoke collective memory. This approach would reflect the communal aspect of cianalas, transforming my work into a shared cultural experience rather than merely an individual longing. The use of layered shadows can help depict different perspectives or versions of these memories, creating a visual tapestry that intertwines personal and collective histories.
Constructive Memory and Shaping Cianalas: I aim to explore how cianalas involves piecing together memories over time, blending real experiences with idealised or reshaped recollections. This will be reflected in my use of mixed media, layering different elements within a single piece—some rooted in vivid, clear details and others fading or abstracted to represent memories that have softened over time. By incorporating shadows that shift in intensity and focus, I can convey how our memories are not fixed images but rather constructed stories shaped by the emotional weight of cianalas.
Embodying Cianalas through Process: Embracing the creative process itself will be an integral part of expressing cianalas. I want to allow certain parts of my work to remain intentionally incomplete, faded, or loosely sketched, mirroring the way memories can fade or fragment. Incorporating textures that represent the raw, emotional side of cianalas—including traces of erasure or repainting—will highlight the evolving nature of memory and longing. Documenting my work-in-progress stages will also provide insights into how I shape and refine my personal and collective memories, reflecting the essence of cianalas.
Shadow Movement for Evolving Memories: Using shadows that change in intensity, length, or focus can reflect how our memories of places are never static. This approach could visually narrate the idea that cianalas embodies a longing for something that continuously shifts and transforms. I hope this dynamic quality will encourage viewers to engage with the emotional narratives behind my work, inviting them to consider their connections to places and the memories they hold.
By integrating these themes of place attachment, collective and constructive memory, and cianalas, I aim to create a body of work that captures a profound sense of longing and identity. I look forward to expressing how we carry the places and histories that define us, even as they transform over time. Through the interplay of light and shadow, I hope to reveal the complex narratives woven into our memories, creating art that resonates with the essence of cianalas.
