Memories of dreams
- An immersive exhibition by Elsa Bleda -
Memories of Dreams is an immersive photography exhibition by Elsa Bleda, it is an audio-visual journey through to the photographer’s world. The exhibition features an immersive extension to a traditional fine-art photographic display; Virtual and Augmented Reality experiences allow the viewer to step into the frame, developed in South Africa with a talented local team.
The physical installation which includes fog and dreamy lighting brings the dream world to the viewer while the VR experience takes the viewer into a 3D recreated dream world. The AR portal lets the viewer transition from reality to a dream by stepping into a digitally composited frame. The exhibition also includes a selection of music that ties tightly to the photographer’s world, as well as accompanying videos taken by Elsa.
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Exhibition statement:
Magic, mysticism and an atmosphere of eerie moodiness, “Memories of Dreams” weaves in and out of a dream-like state, questioning the domain and attachment to the world of metaphysical space. Bleda uses soft and nostalgic visuals to play with the boundary of reality, fantasy, and imagination.
Magic, mysticism and an atmosphere of eerie moodiness, “Memories of Dreams” weaves in and out of a dream-like state, questioning the domain and attachment to the world of metaphysical space. Bleda uses soft and nostalgic visuals to play with the boundary of reality, fantasy, and imagination.
Ephemeral in nature, dreams are commonly difficult to remember and often restricted to the period before waking. Bleda recalls, encodes and then manifests her subconsciousness in the physical space creating bold yet ambiguously transdimensional portraits of the landscapes she occupies. Her relationship with light, color, and space heightens the intense emotionality and speculative existence of consciousness.
The collection of photographs takes place at the blurred lines of the (un)conscious, the external world gets left behind and the soul becomes fully internalised. These landscapes, pieced together as a sequence of fragments, leave room for interaction, as viewers are encouraged to pause, inhale, reflect and slowly exhale when necessary. Although elusive at first glance, the mystery surrounding these alternate realities are washed in a cinematic reverie prompting the self to engage in a deeper sense of exploration.
Juxtaposed against a backdrop of collected moments outside of the boundaries of normality, a new dimension of reality is augmented into the exhibition space creating a vivid manifestation of the subjective dream state.
