Kanji Dreams
Experimental Book project (final year)
Experimental Book project (final year)
is a dream map, onto which meanings and symbolism of a weeks worth of dreams are projected. This project is both personal and experimental. It is a map of a dream, a memory and a physical landscape as well as a landscape itself.
To conceptualize and execute a book of exploration. The concept of ‘book’ is to be explored and broadened almost beyond recognition. The theme of the book is the exploration of Tshwane. However that too is merely a metaphor for any place or space. Thus the entire book project should be an experimental exploration of a space, whether physical or mentally.
is therefore an exploration of my own subconscious. The veil between dreams (which lie in our subconscious) and our consciousness is often crossed. Reality mimics dreams and vice versa. Keeping this in mind, dreams obtain more importance once the symbolism of dreams are realized. Many dream-theorists refer to this space where dreams occur as a dream-landscape. Thus the ‘book’ or rather scroll, developed into a landscape. This landscape is both memory (subconscious) and real-world based. Imagery used in the landscape are maps, which indicate the reality of our physical space; water creatures, which indicate the subconscious and skies that indicate the dream. Within the dreams (or skies) Japanese Kanji representing certain symbols in dreams. These symbols were all found in dreams spanning over a time of a week. To visually connect the Kanji and reiterate the dream landscape being in the sky and the physical landscape being on the ground, the star constellations of the Southern hemisphere in October is used.
Japanese Kanji is used to visually represent the dream symbols due to the spirituality linked to the Japanese culture. Japanese culture and aesthetics, are seeped in tradition and spirituality. The fish that are used in the aesthetic are also a reference to the Japanese culture, as well as their symbolism for subconsciousness.
The landscape is divided into two sections, the landscape and sky. As previously mentioned, the sky is the subconscious and the land is consciousness. They overlap at some intervals, as it does in a persons mind.
The medium in which the project is executed, by hand is also chosen for a reason. The hand generated elements were done on scale, thereby occupying a space, while also being one. By hand generating while kneeling next to, or on top of the ‘landscape’ the project becomes a part of me and I a part of it, the project becomes more personal. This action of personalizing is both conscious and subconscious. For the reader the scale is also problematic and intriguing. The reader is required to engage and interact with the project. The size makes the project a landscape on which the reader, subconsciously or consciously (physically) can walk on. This landscape is filled with meaning (my own personal dream map) but open enough for the reader to project their own symbolism on.
