iDream
iDream began as a visual arts exhibition exploring the hopes and dreams of local participants.
iDream is a two-phase project. For Phase 1, we researched and developed a visual and digital arts exhibition inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream fused with key speeches of civil rights leaders. iDream explored the following themes:
Lost (Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena are lost in the woods as they try to make their dreams come true
Do or Die – The Quit India speech by Mahatma Gandhi
Freedom and Equality – I have a dream speech by Martin Luther King
Forgiveness, Hope and Progress – based on Nelson Mandela’s inaugural speech
Our team worked with young people from traveller communities at Babington College (building on our recent work with the college through Writing East Midlands) and diverse people of all ages who live in Leicester’s deprived wards such as Belgrave, Highfields and St Margarets. The artists explored the dreams of the participants, when they felt lost, offered and asked for forgiveness, found hope, experienced a do or die situation before they could finally progress.
An immersive visual arts exhibition with a sound installation by an emerging composer were presented in Leicester and at the Cultural attache of the High Commission of India offices. The 7 photographs shot in urban and heritage locations formed the exhibition Each photograph was digitally manipulated to appear dream-like, harsh, stark, bleak optimistic, soft or promising. Some of the participants and all the performers built the costumes and were subjects of the photographs. The resulting visuals were printed on aluminium.
For Phase 2, the R&D will be used to create a performance installation, a dreamlike environment where audiences will go through a maze to explore their own dreams. Text and characters from A Midsummer Nights Dream will heavily influence this phase. It is hoped that both the visual arts and performance installations will be offered for tour as a package.
