Red Bull Music Academy: Dream Machine

Inspired by Brion Gysin and William Burroughs' iconic invention, Dream Machine is an immersive performance exploring the intersection of neuroscience, perception, and consciousness. Reimagining what Gysin described as "the world's first artwork designed to be viewed with eyes closed," the project investigates how synchronized sound and light can influence brain activity and alter sensory experience.

Developed in collaboration with neuroscientist Leah Kelly of Rockefeller University, the work draws on research into neural entrainment, the process by which rhythmic stimuli can synchronize brainwave activity. Combining contemporary neuroscience, psychoacoustics, and ancient trance traditions, the project explores how patterned light and sound can shape attention, perception, memory, and states of consciousness.

The performance featured original compositions and collaborations with cultural figures including Genesis P-Orridge, Iggy Pop, the Master Musicians of Jajouka, Sophia Brous, and Dave Harrington. Audiences were immersed within rotating light sculptures, pulsing frequencies, and spatialized sound environments designed to evoke vivid internal imagery and meditative states.

By bringing together artists, musicians, and scientists, Dream Machine transformed complex questions about human perception into a participatory public experience, demonstrating how artistic practice can serve as a platform for scientific exploration and public engagement.

Commissioned by: OPUS, Red Bull Music North America, Pioneer Works, Supersense: Festival of the Ecstatic

2018