Echoes of a lost homeland: art, memory, and the invisible scars of violence

Wshyar M.

Subjectivity, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1057/s41286-026-00234-8
  • Journal Name: Subjectivity
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
  • Keywords: Diasporic memory, Intergenerational trauma, Nostalgia, Representations, Violence
  • Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This article investigates the intersection of nostalgia, memory, and artistic representation in preserving and reimagining homelands that no longer exist due to war, transformation, or displacement. Through the works of Emii Alrai, a second-generation Iraqi artist based in the UK, and Nagham Hodaifa, a Syrian artist living in France, the research explores how intergenerational memories and inherited nostalgia shape artistic expressions of loss and resilience. Drawing on qualitative analyses of selected artworks and interviews with both artists, the study highlights how Alrai and Hodaifa navigate themes of violence, identity, and collective memory in their creations.