Being a continuation of the process of sleeping as shown in The Fall is a self-portrait. The eyes signify the awareness of the subconscious mind when the subject is in a deep slumber. In sleep, our conscious mind becomes dormant while the subconscious mind stays awake. Scientific research has found that we can still hear and process everything even while asleep. It is the subconscious mind that controls heartbeat, blood circulation, regulate digestion, and elimination of waste from the body. it also uses Henri Rousseau’s ‘The Dream’ as a muse. In Rousseau’s painting, we see a slumbering female inhabiting a dream world where there are strange and magical creatures frolicking. In ‘Awake in Sleep’, I have therefore drawn a rainbow mist traveling towards a source of light, which represents the entry to the subconscious. The mist on the other hand is the ethereal magic associated with the entire concept. The eyes form a prominent element in the painting covering the majority of the surface as they represent the ever-present aspect of the subconscious which emerges as our instinct during our waking hours.

Artist: Aliyah Chadha

Size: 24 x 48 inches