Maya Kurella

Sleep talk is a collection and documentation of your dreams – a transcript. A play-by-play, an in-the-moment rationalisation of the ideas and patterns that are entangled in the confusing web of dreams. Sleep talk enables direct access and insight to the creativity of the subconscious, as we absorb the patterns, rhythms and symbols of the outside world, which in turn influence our inner world, the world of dreams. As we dream, we make beautiful, sometimes seemingly nonsensical connections between all aspects of our past, present and future.

“You Know What I Mean?” is a 500 page learning book that goes through the archive of sleep talk snippets that Maya has recorded over the past four years. She uses Comic Sans, a typeface known for its approachability, humour and links to learning. By using this under-appreciated (and sometimes hated) typeface, she gives it a spotlight, in the same way that she is highlighting the importance of sharing sleep talk. Using a grid structure throughout the book, the viewer familiarises themselves not only with the images but the way of constructing compositions and narratives. The tiles, which follow the same format, allow the viewer to further familiarise themselves with the structure, and create their own narratives by rearranging the tiles, alluding to the way we create connections while we dream — the narratives of the night.

This interaction facilitates the understanding of the language, showcasing how different connections between images are made, and their links to sleep talk, aiding in the visualisation and materialisation of the strangely creative thoughts of the night. Thereby switching the creativity of the night from the personal to the collective.