Art Preview: Dream Director

By chloeg Last edited 184 months ago
Art Preview: Dream Director
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What happens when we dream? The delicious question marks behind our complex subconscious are explored in more depth at the Institute of Contemporary Arts this weekend, as the art and science of sleep is put under the microscope.

Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram, in collaboration with Chris Alford, a sleep psychologist at the University West of England, has created an installation and experimental space to help solve some of the mysteries of our dream worlds. Jerram's project involves a sleepover where participants will stay in specially-designed pods at the ICA gallery, and have their sleep monitored by special eye-masks. Ever had that spooky feeling when you try to open your eyes and feel them still moving back and forth? How often has the sound of an alarm clock or ringing telephone entered and changed the course of a dream? During the experiment individuals' REM (rapid eye movement) is detected then fed back via sounds played to participants as they sleep, altering the nature and content of their dreams.

Sadly the sleepover is sold out (particularly disappointing as we miss out on the ICA-provided cocoa and breakfast), but the artist will be taking about the project with a panel of experts and launching the book he has written about it on Friday. You can view the installation from Thursday until Sunday.

Image kindly provided by the ICA.

Last Updated 19 November 2008