“The most characteristic slumber, the one most appropriate to the exercise of the art of painting…is the slumber which I call ‘the slumber with a key,’ you must resolve the problem of ‘sleeping without sleeping,’ which is the essence of the dialectics of the dream, since it is a repose which walks in equilibrium on the taut and invisible wire which separates sleeping from waking.” — Salvador Dali.
Dali being one of the masters of surrealist art, was and expert in capturing his dreams in his mind boggling paintings.
What we mean by taking a nap was utilised by him to find the subjects for his paintings.
He used to fall asleep in his chair, losely holding a key, keeping a metal plate in the floor, and fell asleep. Just when he was about to lose his control over his mind the key would slip from his hand, drop on the plate and wake him up by the noise.
In this short span in between closing the eyes, dozing off and actually falling asleep and losing control, he dreamed his lucid dreams.
“You must seat yourself in a bony armchair, preferably of Spanish style, with your head tilted back and resting on the stretched leather back. Your two hands must hang beyond the arms of the chair, to which your own must be soldered in a supineness of complete relaxation.
In this posture, you must hold a heavy key which you will keep suspended, delicately pressed between the extremities of the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. Under the key you will previously have placed a plate upside down on the floor…. The moment the key drops from your fingers, you may be sure that the noise of its fall on the upside down plate will awaken you.” – Dali.
In this short space i wrote what i could, but do go and read about it, it’s fascinating!
And i had no better way to capture him through my art.
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