Ruijia Diao

In this project, revolving around dreams and the subconscious, I respond to the complex connections between dream and reality. I use a blend of media to capture the bewilderment people feel upon awakening from a dream and explore the intersection of dreams and reality. I used clay and acrylic paint to create reliefs. The setting looks like an ordinary bedroom, but is full of vaguely defined creatures and other elements. Bursts of images representing the subconscious wander to the edge of consciousness, causing dream creatures to appear in the real bedroom. This weird scene features mutated palm trees, tangled plants, two selves in conversation, and a figure representing the monster of desire. In the piece, I investigate the conflict between reality and fantasy, which becomes a force that propels thoughts to fruition. I hope the contradiction captured in the artwork resonates with viewers and encourages them to contemplate the relationship between dreams and reality.