The Dream That Must Be Interpreted
Four-channel audio installation with four display platforms, found and custom-made objects, speakers
23 mins. 40 secs., dimensions variable
2023
The Dream That Must Be Interpreted is an immersive audio installation that invites listeners into a world of dreams and spiritual revelation. The work comprises four display platforms and an eclectic collection of found and custom-made objects, which together serve as a stage for a recorded audio drama written and directed by the artist and performed by voice actors. Over the course of 24 minutes, the play narrates the stories of four individuals who are simultaneously awakening from transformative spiritual experiences. As these fictional characters recall the details of their mystical dreams and meander between moments of sorrow, humour, mystery and transcendence, it ultimately becomes clear that their idiosyncratic narratives are in fact intertwined in unexpected ways.
The Dream That Must Be Interpreted was commissioned by the Aga Khan Museum as part of an exhibition celebrating the 13th-century mystic poet Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi, known as Rumi, on the 750th anniversary of his passing. The audio drama features oblique references to Rumi's life and poetry throughout, prompting viewers to contemplate the varied ways in which Rumi has been translated, interpreted, and appropriated.
The Dream That Must Be Interpreted was commissioned by the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, 2023. Platform designs by Aamna Muzaffar. Installation views: Rumi, Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, 2023. Photos by Darren Rigo.
Cast:
Ala - Elizabeth Ollier
Becky - Blythe Haynes
Clark - Francesca Katie Allan
Jalal - Lucas Gilbertson
