Nostalgia
There’s something about the work of Alexander Millar that reminds me of the work of illustrator Raymond Briggs, who provided us with such classics as When the Wind Blows, Father Christmas, and of course, The Snowman. For me, it conjures up a sense of nostalgia, with the image of the small child and the adult figure reminding me very much of the little boy in The Snowman, which in turn reminds me of my own childhood. When we see, hear or smell things that remind us of our childhood years, it can often take us right back to a particular time and even recapture a strong feeling or emotion. It is often said that smell is the most evocative of all of the five senses (excluding the elusive sixth!) and indeed I have often caught a faint waft of a vague scent that has conjured up in me such strong feelings, yet they are often feelings that I am unable to place. Perfumes are more identifiable – nobody forgets the signature scent of a mother, auntie or notorious ex-girlfriend, and everybody is sure to feel nostalgic at the faintest whiff of Old Spice, on which many generations of young men were raised. Even more elusive is the scent of a home – unmistakable when entering a family member’s or close friend’s house, yet who knows what their own house truly smells like? We become accustomed to our own smells as they are around us in our everyday lives. Nostalgia can creep up at any point, from anywhere, and when it does, it can be a happy or sad experience. In this age of twitter, facebook and iPads, I fear we are becoming less and less aware of the physical reminders of our past that are all around us, waiting to be experienced, if only we could open our eyes.
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