Mechanical Dream by Izzy Paez

Based in Toronto, Canada

Mechanical Dream, Mixed Media, 2024, 14” x 17”

In this work, I explore the shifting landscapes of dream worlds and the dualities between the awake and dreaming mind. The water symbolizes the dream realm, while the reflection represents the sleeping self; the girl gazing down embodies the awake self. The sacred hearts symbolize lost loves, and the doll and cards represent childhood. The animals are anthropomorphic manifestations of comfort and guidance. The girl's stitched-together clothing reflects the many fragments that shape her subconscious.

I’m a really vivid dreamer, and often, my dream self manifests as more of a fearless explorer, adventure seeker, or even as childlike. In the dreams, she brings me into unsettling situations. One example is a recurring swimming dream where my awake self is telling my dream self not to go in too deep. I don’t know how to swim in real life, so I can see where that fear stems from, but in the dream, I go in deeper and dive to the bottom of this body of water, where I find an assortment of trash and personal memorabilia. The dream always ends up being positive, but it’s the initial dive that I always fear. The drawing represents me and my dream self both looking into the water; I drew this inspired by this dream.