Our worlds are collages of dreams. Myriad complex, dynamic perceptions allow us to make sense of the world we live in. However, sometimes one’s personal perspective can affect their ability to comprehend their surroundings; they create a vision that they want to see, a vision so convincing that they become blinding. In Buddhism these are known as ‘interferences’. The Buddhist goal of “seeing without interference,” alludes to the hope to seek clarity by shedding the layers of narratives that we created ourselves. Do we really want to seek the truth? Or is it better to remain in our world of dreams?
Dreams, dropping on January 5th, 2023 on ONBD’s SuperRare Space brings together a group of artists who explore the unique medium of digital collage. We are excited to present works by Cecilia Goose, Maiko Kikuchi, Liunic, The Sid, Resatio, and Paper Buddha. All of the artists interpret and construct their collages through a distinctive perspective, but some shared concepts can also be found.
The artists suggest different versions of their realities, of which the viewer is welcome to peel back as many layers as they wish, or keep as is — the works allow the viewer to construct or deconstruct the collaged dreamscape, to mentally separate the layers, or imagine what lies behind them. Collage art is thought-provoking in nature: how are meanings created and combined? Is the viewer meant to interpret the symbolism behind the layers, or is it the artists’ intention what matters most, as they are the ones to choose to hide and reveal their imagery?
Dreams
One of the often discussed ideas behind collage art is its peculiar sense of space. Removing the constraints of physical space and the limitations of time, artists Maiko and The Sid explore the interplay between visual perception and spatial scale. In How To Live In Your Dream Home Space, spatial perception is flat, as it is animated in 2D; however, it’s also changing, expanding, and contracting under Maiko’s altering. The Sid is a master of manipulating our perception of depth in his collages, using architectural renderings to and geometric forms to play with flatness and three dimensional space. He adds whimsy to his pieces with collaged vintage illustrated characters that populate his utopian world.
Perfect Future
The city is a shifting entity, a fleeting formula and a permanent transformation. Modernity might have drawn humans attention to the mere word but it was the traditional anatomy and architecture that built the city’s premise. In a creative world, however, the two can be peacefully present. I attempt to make that presence more possible by putting together modern souls in far-fetched lands. May they live happily ever affer.
@The Sid
Platform: SuperRare
How To Live In Your Dream Home
“How To Live In Your Dream Home”
This animation is created as part of a puppet show “Daydream Tutorial”, a surreal tutorial presented through a live performance. In this show, audiences experience ten short whimsical tutorials consisting of various unique puppets, objects manipulations, original sound work, mask-performances integrated with projected animation. This particular animation is projected on the screen and interacts with mask-performing in one of the tutorials “How To Live In Your Dream Home”.
@Maiko Kikuchi
Platform: SuperRare
Collage can be full of personal touches; it combines elements that are all chosen from a distinct context, a process that involves a freeing exercise of letting the subconscious mind tell you about yourself. Innerchild by Liunic is a tribute to the raw and often unfiltered creativity of her younger self, and a process of healing her neglected childhood wounds. Are You Lost Or Caffeine Hasn't Kicked In Yet? by Resatio expands on his recent body of work where he allows his ‘unconscious’ mind to select and compose his artworks, in the spirit of ‘automatic drawing’ processes employed by the Surrealists.
Are You Lost Or Caffeine Hasn't Kicked In Yet?
This artwork is the continuity of my latest series: Unconscious Mind. I’m still trying to establish a similar approach, not thinking too much, and letting my mind wander into the unknown. At first, I trust my mind about how the artwork will be, then when I felt the artwork is right, I add more details to the artwork. After that, I asked myself what could be a nonsensical title to put on the artwork.
Digital collage and digital drawing
GIF ⎯ 2000 x 1600 px
@Resatio
Platform: SuperRare
Inner child
Mix Media; gouache, acrylic + paper collage and digital painting. Drawing happy and colorful creatures has always been my sane place, I feel like it is my own way of making my younger self happy. I love experimenting on semi abstract character while trying to process my feelings, the good and bad. Drawing my heart out on this piece.
@Liunic
Platform: SuperRare
Layers of meaning can combine to investigate spiritual concerns as well. Paper Buddha’s Portals is created in his immediately recognizable style, a mesmerizing combination of Buddhist and pulp imagery. Portals portrays the deity Vaiśravaṇa, carrying his characteristic umbrella (chatra), a symbol of his sovereignty, and holding a mongoose carrying a jewel in its mouth. The mongoose is the enemy of the snake, a symbol of greed or hatred; the jewel coming out of its mouth represents generosity. Paper Buddha seamlessly weaves ‘retro’ sci-fi imagery into the piece, adding a fantastical element to the composition. Cecilia Goose’s Last Pond on Earth is less overtly spiritual, but it carries a message of her communion with Nature. The piece depicts a landscape that overflows with life, a dreamscape of purple flora and fauna that is meant to convey her love of the natural world, and a call to preserve its fragility.
Portals
Portals portrays the deity Vaiśravaṇa, carrying his characteristic umbrella (chatra), a symbol of his sovereignty, and holding a mongoose carrying a jewel in its mouth. The mongoose is the enemy of the snake, a symbol of greed or hatred; the jewel coming out of its mouth represents generosity.
@Paper Buddha
Platform: SuperRare
The Last Pond on Earth
This is the last pond on earth, still "wild", and a home to creatures that would not live together in any other scenarios: bird with a face of a girl, cautious sea worms, lizard covered in bright colors and bizarre fruits all over the place. As the approaching of doomsday, all what are still left have become a true miracle. But can the peace really last forever? At this moment, the mutant jellyfish floating in the pond, is slowly and ceaselessly devouring the moon.
@Cecilia Goose
Platform: SuperRare