‘Dare to Dream’ is a phrase that is at once a declaration and a provocation. The work from artists in this edition explore the reality of the imaginary.  From architecture to the natural world, as well as direct embodied experience; manifested through line, shape and colour as well as soft, clear, elusive, words and images, all with a strong physical presence of the world.

This second verse of the poem Dreams by Langston Hughes is a wonderful evocation of the dualistic theme for this edition of artED:

“Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.”

Dreams, at once elusive and fantastical can also represent possible futures; what we hope and strive toward as a definitive aim in life.  Daydreaming can be a particularly important part of an artist’s palette, to let go of the ordinary and explore the extraordinary, the fantastical, consciously and unconsciously. 

Artists for this edition have responded through a rich variety of mediums; through the sound of verse directly from the voice of a poet, with words, information, humour and metaphor, to the use of loose soft colour, the figure in sculpture, object, shadow, line and use of the breath to make work.  The body, natural world, ancient architecture, shape, movement and embodied worlds are traversed in this edition.

The audio poem ‘Dreams’ read by the artist Yewande Akinse:…“Let’s hope be your hearts card” an evocation of self-care, warmth and choice, ‘hearts card’ – offers the image of life as a game of chance but also passion.

Richard James Hall’s three ‘Sibling Dream Poems’ – ‘Beyond Reach Yet Within Sight’ offer direct, daring descriptions that hold the dreams of repetition; waking with fragments, a feeling, a sense of this other world of dreams we merge from, like water to land; we try to disentangle and acknowledge this monumental change, this other world that is part of our communal existence.

Michael Mersinis’ photographs evoke and juxtapose ancient and contemporary images, work which draws you into focus on a multitude of the fragments of our lives, partial new reinstated images, with colour palettes of shadow, light and decay; walls of forgotten and everyday worlds which fold and empty their contents inside and outside his frames.

The marble paintings by Helen Shaddock resonate strongly with my embodied work: pools of shape and line touched my own embodied movement experiences, they have a dreamlike quality that is slightly elusive yet take up shape and space as a physical expression.

Listening recently to the music of jazz musician, harpist and composer Alice Coltrane, her composition is powerfully dream-like, spiritually exuberant, indeed otherworldly. Coltrane’s ‘Galaxy in Turiya’ reminded me that in art, we can be forever bold and dreamlike, allowing our heart to fly and soar; passion in art can fuel our dreams and imagination for a life time.

Angela Jane Kennedy

References

Hughes, L. (1923) Dreams. The World Tomorrow magazine. New York, USA. And The Poetry Foundation. Available at: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/150995/dreams-5d767850da976 Accessed 21 November 2025.

Coltrane, A. (1972) Galaxy in Turiya. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JNTH65qebA

Accessed 22 November 2025.