Dormez-Vous?: Susan Aldworth

Video stills from Dormez-Vous?, Susan Aldworth, 2017

The Dark Self

Dormez-Vous? is a video piece by artist Susan Aldworth, presented as part of her The Dark Self exhibition. The exhibition challenges us to reflect upon our nightly transitions from consciousness to oblivion, where do we go when we sleep? The Dark Self featured prints, installation, moving images and sculptures, including the immersive 1001 Nights installation of 1001 embroidered pillowcases depicting sleep stories and dreams. 414 embroiders from across the UK were involved in over 35,000 hours of hand-stitching as part of the community project led by Susan.

In support of her video piece, I was tasked with filming two people asleep so that Susan could incorporate the footage alongside archival footage to create her film - a huge thanks to Maude and Billy to allow cameras into such a vulnerable place. She worked with filmmaker and composer Barney Quinton, who created a generative soundtrack from brainwaves during sleep.

Director: Susan Aldworth

Film editor and animator: Barney Quinton

Composer: Barney Quinton

Cinematographer: Emma Crouch

Actors: Polly Quinton, Maude Hirst, Billy Styles

Voiceover: Michelle Newell

Singers: Aggie Hirst, Maude Hirst, Polly Quinton

Sleeping Brain Animation by Nathalie Adams, University of York

Archive Footage courtesy of Wellcome Library

The exhibition too place at York St Mary’s from 7 June - 3 September 2017. The exhibition was a culmination of three years as the Wellcome Artist in Residence at the University of York.