Zzzzz: Sleep, Somnambulism, Madness
Curator: Mark Feary

Zzzzz: Sleep, Somnambulism, Madness assembles and commissions works by a selection of contemporary Australian and international artists that explore the realm of sleep and its representation in art.

From the grand foyer entry to the main gallery upstairs, visitors will see installations, video work, drawing, painting, and sculpture that explore ideas of the subconscious, delirium and altered states; that examine the way the sleeping figure is represented in contemporary art; and that questions the impact of work and economic pressures on relaxation.

Zzzzz is presented in a theatrical and immersive environment, as if one is walking into a series of darkened bedrooms, yet no one appears to be asleep.

Rather than view sleep as a moment of fatigue, weakness or vulnerability, this collection of works reflects upon the relationship between our physical being, and our mental processes, consciousness and subconscious. At times serene and tender, and at others deeply disturbing, this exhibition casts a lens on how artists attempt to make sense of the process of dreaming, its mysteries, its potentialities, and its vital function in helping us form memories and make sense of the world.

Artists include:

Andy Warhol (USA)
Chicks on Speed (Australia/Spain)
Lee Hadwin (UK)
Mabel Juli (Australia)
Barbora Kleinhamplová and Tereza Stejskalová (Czech Republic)
Kate Mitchell (Australia)
Erica Spitzer Rasmussen (USA)
The Telepathy Project (Australia)
Javier Téllez (Venezuela/USA)
Ronnie van Hout (New Zealand / Australia)

This exhibition has been developed by Gertrude Contemporary in partnership with Murray Art Museum Albury and the Melbourne International Arts Festival.