Luciana Haill is concerned in esoteric ways of accessing ‘The Visionary’. To do this she explores and measures brainwaves during liminal stages of sleeping and specifically focuses on ‘Lucid Dreaming’ and further entraining brainwaves associated with ‘The Hypnagogic’ state experienced as we drift off. This stage is marked by a decrease in Beta and an increase in Theta brainwaves, so she sets about emulating this in fully awake participants who experience her art. She is artist in residence in the Department of Psychology in Greenwich University London, and her artworks are research-led, developing following encounters and (where possible) training with pioneers in her field. Her participatory installations, talks and performances have taken place internationally including Mexico City, Hawaii and Slovenia. Her techniques involve Neurofeedback with EEG (passive, surface mounted brainwave monitoring) – a training process using technology to provide you with more information about what your brain is doing. and interviewing participants about their experiences. She researches the neural correlates, and creates stimulating contemporary sensory light and sound entrainment devices in installations expressing the surreal psycho-phenomenological characteristics preceding an Altered State of Consciousness, such as within a vivid / lucid dreaming in her Fine Artworks.
Category: Lucid Dream
Neurofeedback as a medium of digital portraiture
I wanted to share this photo again as I particularly like this mediation of my artwork ‘The Phrontesterion’ – it captures the essence of biofeedback / neurofeedback in a digitally enabled and augmented portraiture medium, with a nod to the classic genres in painting, sculpture and observation / witness / patient ( by the next participant waiting in the wings ) We the audience witness the fleeting changes from Beta, Alpha and Theta into Hypnagogic brainwaves undulate on a screen, as the percipient, the solo audience member being monitored engages in a discrete interaction with the sound of their own thoughts, frontal lobe decisions and potential surreal reveries sonified !
I find the whole experience quite intimate, and I interview each person afterwards. This was in The East Wing of The Royal Academy in 2015 during ‘Lates’, one of my favourite evenings ever as an artist.
Open Senses symposium
This friday 19th May I am showing my syncretic, participatory artwork in its latest version ‘The Phronteserion’ between 3 and 9pm in The Institute of Philosophy, Bloomsbury, London.
The Open Senses Symposium brings together an interdisciplinary group of practitioners and artists exploring sensory practice. The event features exhibition stalls, panel discussions, pop-up talks and experiences showcasing work in academia, inclusive practice, scent, food, medicine, theatre, music, law, restaurants, typography, dance … and more @OpenSensesUK
The goal of the Symposium is to challenge, demonstrate and interrogate how sensory practice is capable of building greater connection to the world, our environment, the people around us and ourselves, #OpenSenses2017
In this interactive, participatory artwork #The_Phrontesterion, the EEG entirely controls the soundtrack in a feedback loop – the brainwaves of participants are monitored whilst experiencing a dynamically choreographed stroboscopic wellness lamp. As well as this a ‘#Dreamachine’ sets the tempo – this classic kinetic sculpture spinning atop a record player invoking the phenomena Flicker (brainwaves slow to 8-10 hz cycles) via a process of simple neurofeedback. Emergent sonic-guides and voices recede, new ideas come to the fore, in a secluded space, importantly with their eyes closed, reclined in an air-pumped dentist chair, they float back down, where time disappeared – experiencing reverie. Experience rejuvenation, hypnotic time distortion, refreshed creativity and ‘nonlinear thinking’.
Brighton event – Mnemosyne (Memory), Pandora and Dreamachine
I will be taking part in an event on Sunday 14th May in The House of Alchemy in central Brighton. The pop-up gallery is located in the heart of Brighton’s cultural quarter opposite Brighton Dome and Pavilion.
Sarah Janes presents a talk about Mnemosyne, a member of the illustrious ranks of Greek Goddesses. Mnemosyne (Memory) was conceived in a union between Ouranos and Gaia (Heaven and Earth). The power of Memory is the force that enables mortals to enter the unconscious, collect the treasures of the divine and bring them in to the light of day.
Luciana Haill invites participants to explore and measure their own brainwaves during this invocation of Mnemosyne using a classic Dreammachine and a PandoraStar hypnagogic light technology. She is concerned with esoteric ways of accessing the Visionary, using psychotronic and contemporary photic entrainment devices, perchance to dream, enter a Hypnagogic state, inducing dream-like visions, entoptics and journeys.
Sun 14 May, 7pm-10pm
Tickets available here :
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2853475
£6.50 + b.f. in advance / £8.00 on the door
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2853475
More information here :
www.alchemy.house/events-talk-mnemosyn-eeg
House of Alchemy, 114 Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1UD, UK
I’ve updated ‘SleepCycles’ artwork with more images
Signed giclee prints from “SleepCycles” for sale
Limited edition of all the pen illustrations in “SleepCycles”- just 5 of each image, in mitred mounts. Print sizes, A4 exact dimensions and prices in Etsy.
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/InMyDreamsByLuciana
Including ‘The presentation to Narcissus II’
Feedback : more visitor’s comments on the show
Went to the art exhibition, Technology is not Neutral, at The Waterman’s Centre, Kew Bridge. What an amazing collection by some incredible female artists.
I was particularly drawn to the works of Luciana Haill, as I went to one of her Talks last year about all her work on brainwaves and her dream machines! Her work intrigues me, particularly as I have had many experiences through dreams, visions and meditations. Different states have also affected my intuitive art. I wonder what Luciana Haill’s dream machines would reveal?
When I heard she was combining her visuals of brainwaves during lucid dreams, with her art work, I just had to go! I’m SO glad I did!
Her collection, called Sleep Cycles, is amazing and not like anything I’ve seen before. The brainwave displays were creative and fascinating, and her art is absolutely breathtaking!
Presentation to Narcissus, wow! Death by Dreaming, disturbing yet beautiful, I loved the contrast. The Double Mind, incredible artwork, reminds me of some effects of my meditations.
I’d say it’s impossible to view this thought provoking art and not be moved and affected. It’s only there for a few more days, finishing this Sunday 8th January – I would certainly recommend it.
Mel Pross, EnRichmbs
