The ‘industrial’ structure of feeling: ‘Slow memory’ and cultural creation in Asturias (Spain)

Asturias, a region located in northern Spain, is suffering a permanent crisis which was triggered by the dismantlement of its industrial and mining foundations. The deep consequences of that process have left their mark in society, economy and culture. This paper includes several excerpts from interviews with artists who express what, according to Sherry Linkon, can be defined as the ‘half-life of deindustrialisation’ as long as in the realm of cultural expression the memory of the industry and work is kept alive. Representations and cultural narratives of Asturian creators deal with aspects such as uncertainty, nostalgia, resistance and working-class identity. In collective imagination, it configures a rich, intangible heritage that acts as a source of inspiration for artistic creation in many different ways. The paper aims to show and analyse, from a sociocultural perspective, the contributions of Asturian creators in the last years, emphasising two dimensions that seem useful to understand the transition from an industrial society to a post-industrial one. The first one focuses on how cultural creation has re-signified the culture of the working class and the legacies of deindustrialisation in Asturias. The second one deals on how memory of the past is remembered and its influence in the present and the future. To do so, we will make use of Raymond Williams’ concept of ‘Structure of Feeling’ to understand the currency of certain codes and references that continue working within communities shaken by deindustrialisation. In the same way, and precisely due to the persistence of references and codes tightly related to memory and remembrance processes, the concept of ‘Slow Memory’ gives key aspects to contextualise the importance and validity of past memories and their connection with current challenges from a critical approach and slow thinking.