“In ‘DreamArena’ (2024) a surreal maze of real footage, animation, and AI-generated content is set against a backdrop of authoritatively commercial cardboard boxes. The eye-adorned boxes maintain a constant watch over the audience as they watch the monitor. The 45-minute video features short segments that draw their inspiration from digital culture and archive material. A spooky YouTube documentary and a botched chicken sacrifice are offset by a Japanese visual novel referencing Skyrim and a dissatisfactory Arsenal match. Through a dream-like repetition of these segments, with subtle variations, the viewer’s perception of their own memory’s accuracy is unsettled. […] Nieling’s work invites an introspection on how easily imagined narratives can seep into our perception of the real.” - Jürgen Zeller
The creation of DreamArena was made possible in part through a contribution by the Mondriaan Fonds.
