Breanna Robinson Explores Memory, Dreams And Identity In New Exhibition

Written by Morgan Ciocca on September 9, 2022

*^{Breanna Robinson, Play Space #2, risograph, 11.5 x 17”, 2022}*

How do we construct the dreams and memories which make up our identity?

From childhood, memory plays a crucial role in the development of self and perception. Formative experiences are turned into memories, which are then strung into a narrative over time to shape our sense of self. As life goes on and memories begin to fade, they may become abstracted and reconstructed around feelings and emotions tied to the specific experience. In a similar way, dreams are constructed narratives which draw elements from stored memories within the subconscious mind.

^{‘Asking for the Moon’ by Breanna Robinson, via Tiger Strikes Asteroid.}

Chicago interdisciplinary artist Breanna Robinson is fascinated by the abstraction of memory and the parallels between memory and dreaming. Her new exhibition, Asking for the Moon, explores questions about memory processing and dream formation, such as “Why are these abstractions created, and what are we to make of them?,” “Exactly how crucial is this function to our ability to feel, process, and express emotions?” and “What can we learn from the ostensibly random connections drawn in our subconscious mind?”

The exhibition, presented by Pilsen gallery Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago and organized by Chicago artist Cydney Lewis, uses found objects and colorful prints to reflect Robinson’s own dreams, memories and research, and the way the three intersect. Asking for the Moon is on display now through October 1.