Artwork by Art Enables Artists; Animation by Shreya Basu

“If I were asked to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: the house shelters day-dreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.” – Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space  

A safe space for dreaming - one of Art Enables’ most treasured values as a studio and gallery - is visualized as the foundation of our first collaborative animation. The artists’ drawings and paintings have been collaged and gently activated into 7 short scenes that wrap around a corner of the gallery.  

A man dreaming soundly in his house initiates a visual journey for the viewer. A caterpillar breaks free from its colorful patchwork to explore new terrain. Ice cream and cake flowers bloom in a lush medieval garden to feed a Pegasus. A disco ball descends with nightfall, prompting a royal dance party. “Sea monkeys,” corn chip fish, and singing narwhals go about their day on the ocean floor, where mermaids play chess and greet aliens. Large abstract shapes breathe and squirm, and a disembodied, golden eye blinks and multiplies in a landscape of swirling energies.  

In a final scene, more houses emerge from the night. New fantasies bubble into the sky above them, imagining the diverse ideas that can spring into the world when everyone is safe, supported, and free to dream.  

installation views of "The House Protects the Dreamer" 2-channel video installation

Start both videos simultaneously to view how they interact, side by side in the gallery:

With artwork by: A.T., Eric Atkinson, Maurice Barnes, Jay Bird, Duane Blacksheare-Staton, Marti Clark, Calvin “Sonny” Clarke, Mara Clawson, Jacqueline Coleman, Jabari Cooper, Egbert “Clem” Evans, Debora Green, Josephine Finnell, Michael Haynes, Payman Jazini, Charmaine Jones, Eric Kendrick, Mike Knox, Toni Lane, Helen Lewis, Keith Lewis, Paul Lewis, Raymond Lewis, CeeJ Maples, Marrimarra, Joel Martinez, Kenny Mashishi, Vanessa Monroe, Gillian Patterson, Shawn Payne, Dennis Quillin, Jamila Rahimi, Kelvin Richardson, Eileen Schofield, Matt Schwab, Nonja Tiller, and Imani Turner

Narrative concepts by: Jay Bird, Marti Clark, Mara Clawson, Jacqueline Coleman, Charmaine Jones, Eric Kendrick, Mike Knox, Keith Lewis, Raymond Lewis, Gillian Patterson, Shawn Payne, Matt Schwab, Eileen Schofield, and Imani Turner  

Animation by Shreya Basu / shurjo mukhi: Shreya Basu serves on the Art Enables staff as Artist Advancement Coordinator and is a learning and growing multimedia artist invested in community building and organizing. They see art as a powerful tool of individual and collective healing and reflection and strongly believe in the mission of Art Enables! In the past, they have worked on collaborative, community-based, art-centered projects with organizations like Lavender Phoenix, API Domestic Violence Resource Project, SMYAL, and Shout Mouse Press. They are committed to grounding their art practice and facilitation in anti-racist, caste abolitionist, disability justice, and LGBTQ+ liberation movements.