Observing footage of her own sleeping body in semi-lucid reverie and painting her fluctuating states, the Kenya-born artist captures altered states of consciousness as hallucinatory windows into the unknown.
Here, we ask an artist to frame the essential details behind one of their latest works.
Bio: Wangari Mathenge, 51, Chicago and Nairobi (@wangari_mathenge)
Title of work: If You Complete a Dream … (Bedimmed Boundaries), 2024.
Where to see it: “Bedimmed Boundaries: Between Wakefulness and Sleep” at Nicola Vassell Gallery (138 10th Ave, New York) until Oct. 19.
Three words to describe it: Dimensions of consciousness.
What was on your mind at the time: As with all the paintings in the show, this image is taken from a still video frame. The painting captures a moment just after I woke from a dream in which I was lost. I’ve had many of these “lost” dreams before, usually during the REM stage. In those dreams, I always wake up at the height of my frustration, realizing I will never find my way out of the disorientation. What set this dream apart was that I managed to escape—I found my way back. At that moment, I became aware that I had completed the dream and suddenly recalled hearing that if you complete a dream, you die (hence the title). It left me questioning why I was still alive.
An interesting feature that’s not immediately noticeable: Although my eyes are open and it appears that I’m awake, I’m actually caught in a hypnagogic hallucination—those fleeting moments just before I fully transition into wakefulness.
How it reflects your practice as a whole: The work embodies my philosophy of exploring lived experiences—those that resonate with me and others in similar situations.
One song that captures its essence: “The Rip Tide” by Beirut.
