Recent research in the field of Dream Engineering, focused on the use of technology to change the content of dreams, has shown that the brain continues to listen, feel, and see during sleep. This discovery has opened up channels to communicate with the unconscious mind.
At the Beleyer Foundation, the Dream Hotel Room invite museum visitors to explore their dreams thanks to sound, sight and somatic stimulation during sleep. This artwork is made of an interactive installation featuring two primary components: a specially designed bed that rocks participants to sleep, and a bright red mushroom rotating (or “flying”) above the bed, designed to stimulate dream content.
The experience begins with participants lying in the bed and observing the spinning mushroom, illuminated by a fast-moving red light (700 nm wavelength at 4 Hz). This creates the illusion of the mushroom “flying” and utilises light cues known to induce lucid dreaming, often leading to dream scenarios involving vivid red imagery. As participants enter deep sleep, the bed gently rocks in sync with the mushroom’s movement, gradually intensifying to encourage flying dreams. This technique leverages research showing that physical sensations can influence dream content, including the feeling of flying.
Additionally, acoustic stimulation plays a crucial role. Phrases like “flying with flying fly agarics” are softly introduced during sleep to reinforce the theme through Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI). This method uses sound to create half-awake states, blending conscious thought and dream imagery, which is an optimal state for guiding dreams. The artwork combines light, motion, and sound to immerse participants in a unique exploration of their unconscious mind.
Visitors could test the bed during the museum opening hours for an hour, or for an entire night from Friday to Saturday.
During the opening hours of the Summer Exhibition in May 2024, Adam Haar, a neuroscientist specialised in Dream Science, was available to exchange with the participants on their experience. Today, participants can report their dreams online and continue to experience the flying dreams at home thanks to books and video.
