The inaugural Dream Festival opened this weekend in Birrarung Marr, the park along the northern side of the Yarra River. Tomorrow festivities continue with music in the Alexandra Gardens opposite but tonight Caroline and I visit the section that is already open, stunning light installations floating on the Yarra. This festival celebrates ideas, dreams and aspirations so it is fitting that I am here to participate in it. A purpose built gallery walkway has been erected to lead us onto the water in order to walk through the floating artworks of light and colour created by local artists interpreting the dreams of the people of Melbourne.
As we approach we are immediately impressed by the hypnotising display of light and colour beckoning us from a distance for a closer look. It is cold and raining here in Melbourne tonight, so cold that I cannot feel my fingertips and just have to trust that they are pressing the shutter button on my camera. Caroline is covered in goose-bumps in the summer dress she wore into town this morning. She is still getting use to Melbourne's changing weather but has already learned to bring a jacket with her for an all day excursion, as going back for one when you are a tram ride and a walk away is not easy. So although her summer dress sits above her knees, she has a padded jacket to keep her dryish. She looks like Little Red Riding Hood while I, in my white duffle coat resemble Snow White. We are mere dreams ourselves as we wander through the first part of the installation, the Field of Dreamers.
This section comprises rows of larger than life sentinel Dream People, like stick figures with heads in the clouds out of which peers a central eye. They are mostly all white and lined up in rows for the viewer to amble through, threading in and out, between and around. In the dark they glow like ghosts with a coloured light display reflecting off them. In the background the permanent ferris wheel performs its habitual nightly spectrum light show to compliment the festival. Music that reminds me of Pink Floyd at their most mournful perfectly accompanies the viewing of the field.
I am discovering that most attractions in Melbourne have a correct and designed way to view them and the way that I always seem to want to go, which is against the flow. Beginning then at the official starting point of this display is the piece that is for me potentially the most significant of these particular dream interpretations. It is Rebecca Etchell's innocuous 'Embracing together'. Of all the eye-catching, alarming and smetimes disturbing pieces, this one is the most gentle and peaceful. Three coloured figures entwine to symbolise family, happiness, harmony. While other pieces will no doubt attract more publicity, this art work appeals to me the most.
Among the other noteworthy contributions are 'Skull' by Andrew Walsh inspired by the Mayan crystal skulls set inside a transparent sphere designed to remind us that dreams are of the mind, 'Tall Tales' by Geoffrey Ricardo depicting two men draped in a red and white elephant suit rug and Christopher Langton's 'Sailing to Byzantium' a chilling reminder that nightmares are dreams of a different sort.
That brings me to my own sleep wanderings. Knowing me as you all do, it will come as no surprise that I am a prolific dreamer. I dream in colour, in complete storylines, I am the heroine, the villain, the dreamweaver. Here my sleep is plagued by not so comfortable and ever changing pillows as I do the musical bed thing around hostel, homestay and hotel. I have had some very unique dreams sleeping on strange pillows here in Melbourne in that they are filled with surreal cartoon characters in the same vein as the Simpsons, not quite yellow people but definitely not real either. It is like my mind is telling me that being in Melbourne is like a dream and not to be confused with reality. Curious.
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