FEVER FEVER FEVER FEVER DREAM DREAM DREAM DREAM DREAM PORTIA WASSICK
BFA THESIS
E E
NTER ENTER ENTER ENTER ENTER
R RE ET TN NE E RETN RETN
The hypnagogic state is a uniquely fascinating and mysterious condition that the average human experiences almost every day. Loosely defined as the limbo between full wakefulness and true REM sleep, hypnagogia is different for everyone. Mental phenomena that may occur during this "threshold consciousness" phase include hypnagogic hallucinations, lucid thought, lucid dreaming, and sleep paralysis. Mysterious and famed psychologist Andreas Mavromatis was the first to bring the concept of hypnagogia into mainstream scientifitic literature with his observations on the seemingly sequential stages of the hypnagogic state. The hypnagogic state is the base inspiration for my body of work, which examines various in-betweens: between life and death; sleep and wakefulness; surrealism and reality. Through an examination of the stages of hypnagogia and the avenues that they may lead the human consciousness, we begin to explore the in-betweens of the human condition.
RET Ever since I was a young child, I’ve experienced extremely vivid nightmares, sleep hallucinations and night terrors- “Fever Dreams”. This body of work is meant to encompass those dreams and the inspiration they have given me to create surreal art embodying the in-between. Majorly influenced by the Surrealists, this body of work is a hypnotic, mysterious look at esotericism. The human mind isfascinating and can craft so many obscure ideas- this is a dive into the mind and the in-betweens it creates. Fever Dream includes many print mediums, including monotypes, relief prints, screen prints and etchings as well as mixed media elements. These pieces were all created as large scale works as to create an all-encompassing installation which helps the viewer envelop themselves in the world I’ve created.
STAGE 1:
MENTAL
Flashes of light and color STAGE 2:
Floating, drifting, faces, nature scenes
RELAXATION
H y p n a g o g i c
STAGE 3:
Autosymbolic phenomena STAGE 4:
d
r
e a m s
PHYSICAL RELAXATION
ST STAGE AGE ONE: ONE:
Flashes of light and color
Experimental monoprint on oil soaked chine collé | 24”x36” | 2019
ST STAGE AGE TWO: TWO:
Floating, drifting, faces, nature scenes
Experimental monoprint on oil soaked chine collé | 24”x36” | 2019
ST STAGE AGE THREE: THREE: Autosymbolic phenomena
Experimental monoprint on oil soaked chine collé | 24”x36” | 2019
Thoug h h tt Thoug Thoug h tt Thoug h Though tt Though Though tt Though Though t p roce ss e s o n t h e e d g e of sl eep t e n d t o d i ff e r r a d i c a l l y fro m t h ose o f o rd i n a r y wake fu l n e ss. F o r e x a m p l e , s omet h i n g t h a t y o u a g re e d w i t h wi thi n a st a t e o f h y p n a g o g i a may se e m com p l e t e l y r i d i c u l o u s t o y ou i n a n a w a k e s t a t e . Hypn a g og i a m a y i n v o l v e a looseni n g of e g o b o u n d a r i e s . . . op e n n e ss, s e n s i t i v i t y, inter nal i z a t i on - s u b j e c t i f i c a t i o n of t h e p h ysi ca l a n d m e n t a l envi ron m e n t ( e m p a t h y ) a n d di ffu se a b sor b e d a a tt tt e en n tt ii o on n .. a tt tt e n tt ii o n .. a e n o n a tt tt e en n tt ii o on n .. a a tt tt e n tt ii o n .. a e n o n attention.
ENTE R : ENTE R : HYPNA HYPNA
GOGO GOGO
1 6”x 30” rel ie f pr int o n p a p er
UN MASKE D
24” x30 ” reli ef pri nt on pape r | e d. of 12 | 2 0 1 8
YARD IS F U LL ----
TH E GRAVE
7 272727272 727 2
72 727 272727272
SEVE NTY TWO HOURS
24 ”x30” reductive relief print on paper
16”x24” Screenprint on paper, ed. of 5
TH E CEILING
STARI NG AT
When we enter sleep, the brain steadily dismantles the models and concepts we use to interpret the world, leading to moments of experience unconstrained by our usual mental filters.
?
WHERE DO WE
DRAW THE
LINE BETWEEN SLEEP AND
?
DEATH
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE 16”x36” Screenprint on paper, ed. of 5
CAT'S CRADLE
24”x30” Relief print on paper, ed. of 10
1.15.15
ONE ONE FIVE FIFTEEN
ONE ONE FIVE ONE FIVE
Multimedia etching print on chine collé | 10”x36”
EXIT T I X E TIXE
FEVER FEVER FEVER FEVER DREAM DREAM DREAM DREAM
DREAM PORTIA WASSICK
BFA THESIS