Turning familiar concepts on their heads.
I've explored 6 common themes in order to realise and appreciate these spectacular everyday phenomena. 3 methods used by Surrealists to tap into the subconscious for artistic inspiration (more commonly known as the imagination) are included.
“The trick is to combine your waking, rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams –
‘cause if you can do that, you can do anything.” – Waking Life (Linklater, 2001)
An inventory of things you might need when exploring the imagination.
Concepts
There is past tense and future but the only time that is real is right now.
Living in the past is a waste of energy, so is worrying about tomorrow; be here now, create your own future.
"The idea is to remain in a state of constant departure while always arriving." - Waking Life (boat car driver)
Colour and sight are a result of light.
Without light we'd all be shrouded in darkness, blind.
Also, nothing known to man travels faster than light.
Imagining a world with little, no or perhaps too much gravity will certainly warp your perception of reality.
The greater subconscious is where secrets of the self lie. This is where dreams are created and all your memories kept.
Methods
Arriving at ideas spontaneously can be likened to automatism. It is expression free of all conscious judgement and thought.
Write or draw without applying any conscious thought into what you are doing; have a brain-drain.
This includes collage, juxtaposition (contrasting of objects or ideas) and distorting of context (scale, perspective, setting).
This often creates ambiguous objects of desire and distrust, and forms a psychic interaction between the work and it's audience.
Your dreams contain ideas in your subconscious, pay more attention to them.
Dream method also includes brainstorming, daydreaming and relaxing.
