Xian-Hao Liao, MFA ’24
thesis abstract
Thesis cover
Every day, we experience two realities. The first is experienced when we are awake. The second is experienced when we are asleep, dreaming. Dreams are often viewed as experiences that are out of our control. For me, this is not the case. My thesis is an exploration into the unique realm of lucid dreaming, a state where the dreamer is aware they are dreaming. As a result of this awareness, the dreamer has the ability to influence their own dream narrative. Individuals who lucid dream often wake up with a sharp sense of distinguishing reality from dreams. This can stimulate deep reflection into the dreamer’s inner life and place in the world. It is a mysterious and fascinating experience — one I practice myself.
Through designing experiences inspired by lucid dreaming, I hope to understand and examine the impact it has on dreamers and their perception of reality. By exploring different method to create a tangible dream reality, I believe interacting with and contemplating our dreamworlds can encourage critical thinking, self-reflection into our own psychology, and new insights into our waking lives. I hope to highlight the value in understanding dreams as a powerful method for self-exploration, ultimately fostering a self enquiry mindset.
Download “Dream Reality” (PDF, 4 MB).