2020
Slip into a Bath and Drift into Dreamland
The emergence of the subconscious into an image. That was my experience with this project. Within the confined space of a bathtub, a story unfolds. It begins with the idea of escaping to a dream as a source of comfort in an unprecedented time. Imagination becomes a way to create a new world. Then, the connection to sleeping beauty came along. An homage to the story of a woman who falls asleep and is awoken by a kiss. Instead of a kiss, it transforms into water. Here, the dream of drowning starts. The story here is a girl slipping into a deep slumber in the walls of a bathtub. There, she has a nightmare of turning into a princess and drowning. She survives but is forever changed from the moment. There is no clear ending because it leaves with unanswered questions.
In researching the interpretation of dreaming of drowning, I stumbled upon the meaning of the story. I found the answers “losing control” and “no hope left” particularly fascinating. I dove deeper into my search. I discovered that drowning specifically in a bathtub can symbolize depression and losing oneself. Another search revealed the symbolism of surviving drowning in a dream means great strength and resilience. An important note is that I never wanted a connection to the COVID-19 situation, but it came anyways. The feelings I, along with others, in the situation can be expressed through these symbols. I feel as though I am slipping away, and having hope is meaningless in a world without answers. The story and my feelings about the current situation should end with the symbol of the resilience it takes to get through this unusual time in history. It ends without an answer because there is no answer in sight.
