Concept:
My final project is an interactive art piece designed to visually represent the phenomena of hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. These hallucinations occur in the transitional states between wakefulness and sleep. Hypnagogic hallucinations happen as one drifts off to sleep, while hypnopompic occur upon waking. Fascinatingly, these vivid, dream-like experiences emerge from the brain without any external stimuli or chemicals.
I chose this topic due to my fascination with these mind-states and the capacity of our brains to generate alternate states of consciousness with surreal visuals and experiences. I drew inspiration from Casey REAS, an artist known for his generative artworks. Below is some examples of his work named “Untitled Film Stills, Series 5“, showcasing facial distortions and dream-like states.
Project Description:
I’m envisioning the p5.js sketch to have the user’s webcam capture their image. The user’s face will then be distorted and an action will be triggered by specific user actions and expressions. These actions might include implementations of particle systems, flocking systems, or fractals.
The goal is to create an immersive experience that entertains but also educates the audience about these unique states of consciousness.
Challenges:
– For the actions triggered by the user’s actions, I’m unsure of which actions to include
– There’s also a fear of the project not looking cohesive if too many unrelated elements are implemented, like flocking systems and fractals.