IN.somnial is a poem for the senses. The installation immerses the audience in the nocturnal world of an insomniac, entering the bedroom of the sleepless poet Sonia who is present only in the traces she has left: sounds, scents, books and her writing. Text, light, scent and scenography combine for a sensual journey that fades the boundary between dream and reality. In.somnial uses the atmospheric and physiological qualities of sound, smell, temperature and light, to affect the bodies of the audience, creating a physical experience of the phenomena of insomnia as an entrance into the work's narrative space. The works merges the personal and the phenomenal experience of insomnia. The space vibrates between these two seemingly opposite places- between sleep and waking, between a body that wants to sleep and an over stimulated mind, to create the in-between space of the insomniac. The work avoids generalizations and assumptions by having the audience experience its story through the responses of their own body. And by creating space for the audience to re-connect with their own related experiences. The work’s epilogue recalls the morning after a night without sleep. Situating the audience with a view to the street while listening to a soundscape made from testimonials about the experience of insomnia, the work reflects upon insomnia as a cultural phenomena, exploring questions of how, and for whom, we organise our time and the porous boarders between our private and working lives.
“A very touching orchestration of feelings and associations, of real and suggested time and space, enabling a viewer to visit the area between consciousness and trance, without drugs or other stimulus, but at full consciousness. Without realizing, somewhere in the afternoon in Utrecht, memories and associations, expectations and even a little bit of fear drew me into the work.” ****Fransien van der Putt
IN.somnial is a production of Het Huis Utrecht/ vinny jones in collaboration with SPRING Festival and was made possible with support from Fonds Podiumkunsten, City of Utrecht, Kf Heinfonds and Prince Bernhard Culture Fund
Concept and Design: vinny jones
Dramaturgy: Liesbeth Groot Nibbelink
Technical design: Diederik Schoorl
Sound design: Léon Spek
System design: Mark IJzerman
Smell design: Jorg Hempenius
Publicity: Bonnie Dumanaw
Production management: Carolien Beenhakker
Producer: Job Rietvelt
Coaching: Anoek Nuyens & Joris Weidom
Photography: Jonna Bruinsma
Video: Ariane Trümper
Premier 18 May 2017, Gallerie Sanna, SPRING Festival
