"POV: You wake up as a miner in 1920s Philadelphia." It's Thursday in 2025—I'm eating a tuna poke bowl while an AI video on Instagram stirs an inexplicable longing for a past my parents weren't even alive in. This sensation—termed “anemoia” by John Koenig—captures our modern capacity to empathize with bygone eras.

In the interior of the amygdala, I am exploring how to craft immersive worlds using VR, Unity, and machine learning to evoke this 'anemoia', and gain insight into its effects on our emotional state.

Drawing inspiration from Romantic painters like Vilhelm Hammershøi—and illustrators like Jeffrey Fulvimari— I am carrying out reaserch in how imagery can trigger nostalgic responses. I created this website to user-test, please awnser the survey below. Thank you!

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Click one or more images if they stir any nostalgic feelings in you.

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Jeffrey Fulvimari. The English Roses. 2003. Print.

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Vilhelm-Hammershoe. Interior with Piano and Woman in Black, 1901. Oil on canvas.

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Paul Delvaux. Nuit de Noël, 1956. Oil on Canvas.

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Evelyn Tan. Icy Bed, 2022.

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Giorgio de Chirico. The Nostalgia of the Infinite, 1911. Oil on canvas.

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Clementine Hunter. Fishing, 1956.

Your Age: Your Occupation: How do you typically discover or consume art? (Check all that apply)

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Do you ever wish you were born in a different time? Do you think you're more drawn to art that reminds you of your past? When you feel nostalgic, do you tend to romanticize the past or feel a sense of sadness/longing? Do you feel emotionally attached to the culture from when you were younger? (e.g., fashion, media, music) Does the imagery of my dollhouse create a sense of longing or familiarity? Does the imagery from my project remind you of anything, or bring up any emotions? Which visual elements in the imagery stand out to you the most? (Optional) Your Email (optional):

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For further information, please reach out to gabriellaturtonmrn@gmail.com.

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