In 1961, the artist Brion Gysin collaborated with electronics technician and computer programmer Ian Sommerville to create the Dreammachine, an art object designed to be viewed with the eyes closed.
Most famous for developing the cut-up technique with the novelist William S. Burroughs, Gyson was no stranger to employing new processes to see the world differently. In the case of the Dreammachine, Gysin was inspired by viewing the flickering of sunlight through trees while traveling on a bus to Marseille, France.
Closing his eyes, Gysin found that the combination of the bus's speed and sunlight through the trees created an optimal experience that put him in a hallucinatory, dreamlike state. This inspired him to team up with Sommerville to create an artwork that uses alpha waves in the 8–16 Hz range to produce a change of consciousness in receptive viewers.
In the spirit of the holidays and a new year, below you will find the Walker's 2024 Artist Yule log inspired by this work and instructions on how to build your very own Dreammachine. This is a small ode to Gysin, Sommerville, and the power art has in letting us discover the world in new ways.
Warm wishes from all of us at the Walker!
Interested in learning more about Gysin and his collaboration with Fluxus artists? Check out the Walker's collection and resources in our library and archive.
Build Your Own Dreammachine
MATERIALS LIST
– 32" x 32" (minimum) single piece of heavy, cardstock-like paper. You can use thin sheet metal, too!
– 78 r.p.m. turntable. (this can be found online and in thrift stores)
– Lightbulb, sock, and power cord. The original Dreammachine used a regular tungsten lightbulb to create a warm glow, but the choice is yours.
TOOLS
– Xacto knife or blade
– Super glue
– Pencil
-– Ruler
– Sandpaper (optional)
– Clamps (optional)
Sensory Note: Dreammachines create flickering and flashing lights.
Step 1
Prepare the record player by removing any hood, arms, or other elements that will block the spinning plate.
Step 2
Take your sheet of paper (or metal) and create a grid of two-inch squares across the entire surface.
Step 3
Draw the pattern onto your paper or metal and cut the shapes out. You can either print and use the templates found here or draw the shapes using the template as a guide. If you use metal, you will want to use the optional sandpaper to dull any sharp edges created while cutting out the pattern.
Step 4
After you've cut the pattern out of your paper or metal, glue the two long ends of the sheet together to form a tall cylinder. You can use the optional claps to hold the cylinder together while the glue is drying.
Step 5
If your turntable plate is not large enough to hold your hood or isn't flat, you will want to create a base out of cardboard.
Step 6
Once the glue is dry, place your cylinder on top of the turntable and set the rotation speed to 78 r.p.m. This is a test to make sure your cylinder doesn't wobble or shift while the turntable is moving.
Step 7
Suspend the lamp about 1/3 but no further than halfway into the cylinder and turn it on.
Step 8
Turn off all the lights and sit very close to the rotating Dreammachine with your eyes closed.
Step 9
Enjoy the experience!
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