Dream Portraits: Turning subconscious desires into art

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on,” said the magician Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest. But what if the wild and illusive contents of our imaginations could become something tangible? In partnership with Roman artist Matteo Nasini, Hotel de la Ville’s Dream Portraits project invites guests of its suites and the Rocco Forte House private residences to have their dreams brought to life through visual and audible artworks.

“The narrative freedom of our dreams is a complex concept, unfolding in a language composed of images and emotions that are never quite what they seem,” says Nasini, “This project with Hotel de la Ville creates art from this mystery.”

Whilst a talented musician, heralding from Rome's Santa Cecilia Conservatory and the prestigious Luigi Cherubini Orchestra, Nasini’s artistic spirit yearned for a different canvas, one that embraced the power of visual expression. Recent years have seen his works exhibited in numerous galleries throughout Italy and abroad. Projects such as ‘Sparkling Matter’ and ‘Neolithic Sunshine’ have been celebrated for their inspired contributions to the art world, combining Nasini’s passions for sound, sculpture, and experimentation, pondering the kind of existential questions that possess no definitive answer.

“Today, technology can record every parameter of our being, and scientists can prove that every form of life dreams when it sleeps, but even with all of this information, we are unable to answer the simple question: why do we dream? These sculptures therefore are portraits: a material restitution of a specific moment in time, a part of ourselves that has never before been captured. They are a portrait of our sleeping brain, of the dream's activity as it imprints itself upon matter, leaving a mark as deep as it is indecipherable."

Within the elegant and exquisitely decorated suites at Hotel de la Ville, Nasini’s work involves recording the brain activity of guests as they sleep, fitted with a comfortable headset with EEG sensors. Real-time conversion software transforms the data into audio signals, creating sound waves which can be turned into a sculpture. “Once the model is perfected, we use a 3D printing technology, crafting the sculpture in fine porcelain before it is fired. The process is sophisticated yet quite simple,” explains Nasini. Alongside each intricate sculpture, guests will also generate an audio track, offering an acoustic insight into their dreamscape, "The evocative power and emotional rapture of sound enables us to access dreamlike states even with our eyes open."

Upon visualising their subconscious in physical form, what insights can dreamers expect? “This is something personal to each guest since brain activities are unique and unrepeatable, but I think this ambiguity is the most fascinating aspect of our project.” 

A creative synthesis of art, craftsmanship, and the exceptional comforts of Rocco Forte Hotels, the Dream Portraits presents a unique opportunity to bring your dreams to life. To delve into the unknown, to reach into the deep subconscious, connect body, mind and soul. Suite dreams indeed...  

Experiences can be reserved through our concierge, dependent upon availability, via concierge.delaville@roccofortehotels.com.