Dreamcatcher (2023)
by Fabin Rasheed
The Dreamcatcher project explores the realm of subconscious imagery and its correlation to real-world experiences. Harnessing the power of brainwaves and AI, a 3D sculpture is generated from dreams which is then studied for insights into psychological healing, creativity and synchronicities.
Project video:
Description:
Dreams, often regarded as messages from the subconscious, frequently connect to our waking lives, aiding in creativity and, crucially, in healing. The Dreamcatcher Project endeavours to “photograph” dream imagery and explore its ties to waking life and its impact on psychological healing.
The project begins with the artist donning an EEG headband and entering a hypnagogic state. This state, a transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep, has been famously utilized by notable figures like Dali and Edison for insights and creative inspiration. The process commences as the artist whispers an “intent” into headphones. This spoken intent is transformed into a text prompt through a voice-to-text AI model Whisper and GPT-4 in this case. An image generation AI model, Dalle, then uses this prompt to produce the corresponding image, which is subsequently affixed atop the Dreamcatcher sculpture.
The Dreamcatcher sculpture itself comprises two sections. The upper part is a 3D model, handcrafted by the artist. The lower section, namely the feathers, is dynamically generated based on EEG headband readings. The feathers’ colours change according to the artist’s mental state during the session, making the sculpture a unique representation of the artist’s brain activity.
As the session unfolds, any dream images perceived by the artist are whispered into the headphones. These images, once generated, are attached to the Dreamcatcher, effectively turning it into a Dream Journal.
The project’s images serve as tools for the artist to examine real-world connections, particularly for personal healing from past traumas. The latest version focused on studying synchronicity. Here, the artist enters a session with the names of seven people in mind. The images generated for each person are sequentially added to a Dreamcatcher sculpture and later shared with them to discover any significant real-world correlations. Intriguingly, some images unveiled profound personal ties and elements of healing.
The detailed view of the sculpture:
Dream images generated as part of the project:
Read more about the project:
https://nurecas.com/dreamcatcher
Exhibited as part of CVPR 2024