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Nostalgic Experiments Memory in Anne Carson’s Nox and Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams’ S.

Tanderup, Sara LU orcid (2016) In Image & Narrative 17(3). p.46-56
Abstract
The article discusses a tendency towards “media nostalgia” in contemporary experimental literary works.Authors such as Jonathan Safran Foer, Reif Larsen, Anne Carson, Steven Hall, Umberto Eco, J.J. Abramsand Doug Dorst include images, drawing and photographs in their works, or they experiment with the visualand material qualities of writing and the book. The tendency can be explained as a reflection of the mediadevelopment: The experimental texts draw attention to the book in an age where it can no longer be takenfor granted. They recall an avant-garde aesthetics, but whereas the avant-garde is associated with ideas offuture and progress, the new texts generally focus on issues of memory and the past. I argue that they are alsoabout memory... (More)
The article discusses a tendency towards “media nostalgia” in contemporary experimental literary works.Authors such as Jonathan Safran Foer, Reif Larsen, Anne Carson, Steven Hall, Umberto Eco, J.J. Abramsand Doug Dorst include images, drawing and photographs in their works, or they experiment with the visualand material qualities of writing and the book. The tendency can be explained as a reflection of the mediadevelopment: The experimental texts draw attention to the book in an age where it can no longer be takenfor granted. They recall an avant-garde aesthetics, but whereas the avant-garde is associated with ideas offuture and progress, the new texts generally focus on issues of memory and the past. I argue that they are alsoabout memory at a media level; “remembering” the book. I explore this tendency by analyzing Anne Carson’sNox (2009) and S. (2013) by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams. Both works recall the aesthetics of ‘rare books’,scrapbooks and artists’ books. They celebrate the book as an auratic object and as an old medium while alsoembracing the contemporary media culture. Paradoxically, they are thus characterized by a ‘manufacturedaura’ – yellowing pages to be bought anytime, anywhere at Amazon.com. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Intermediality, Cultural Memory, Experimental literature, Nostalgia, the book
in
Image & Narrative
volume
17
issue
3
pages
11 pages
publisher
Open Humanities Press
ISSN
1780-678X
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
5628d250-484c-4613-9684-61bf75d30ac0
alternative location
http://www.imageandnarrative.be/index.php/imagenarrative/article/view/1282
date added to LUP
2020-05-06 21:45:45
date last changed
2021-05-09 02:25:08
@article{5628d250-484c-4613-9684-61bf75d30ac0,
  abstract     = {{The article discusses a tendency towards “media nostalgia” in contemporary experimental literary works.Authors such as Jonathan Safran Foer, Reif Larsen, Anne Carson, Steven Hall, Umberto Eco, J.J. Abramsand Doug Dorst include images, drawing and photographs in their works, or they experiment with the visualand material qualities of writing and the book. The tendency can be explained as a reflection of the mediadevelopment: The experimental texts draw attention to the book in an age where it can no longer be takenfor granted. They recall an avant-garde aesthetics, but whereas the avant-garde is associated with ideas offuture and progress, the new texts generally focus on issues of memory and the past. I argue that they are alsoabout memory at a media level; “remembering” the book. I explore this tendency by analyzing Anne Carson’sNox (2009) and S. (2013) by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams. Both works recall the aesthetics of ‘rare books’,scrapbooks and artists’ books. They celebrate the book as an auratic object and as an old medium while alsoembracing the contemporary media culture. Paradoxically, they are thus characterized by a ‘manufacturedaura’ – yellowing pages to be bought anytime, anywhere at Amazon.com.}},
  author       = {{Tanderup, Sara}},
  issn         = {{1780-678X}},
  keywords     = {{Intermediality; Cultural Memory; Experimental literature; Nostalgia; the book}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{46--56}},
  publisher    = {{Open Humanities Press}},
  series       = {{Image & Narrative}},
  title        = {{Nostalgic Experiments Memory in Anne Carson’s Nox and Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams’ S.}},
  url          = {{http://www.imageandnarrative.be/index.php/imagenarrative/article/view/1282}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}