DYLAN JAMES SLATTER

Artefacts of the Subconscious

28th June - 13th July

“Artefacts of the subconscious - a concept simply began from a dream. I recall seeing one of the astral meteors in my dream, noticed it appeared to have birthed something, so that then lead to the concept of how I collect them from my dreams, then bring them back to this realm, then they birth my inter dimensional celestial beings (sculptures) I’ve always believed that my dreams are the purest of source for creativity.”

A new direction for Compendium Gallery, we are proud to house the results of Dylan James Slatter’s subconscious in his exhibition Roetoaiiz Seortez - Artefacts of the Subconscious. A key ideology for Slatter is dreams and the way in which our subconscious is at the forefront of our creative genius, rather than that of the conscious mind. Having had his dreams studied via EEG brainwave mapping at Monash University in order to gain a better understanding of how his unconscious mind is able to manifest such an aesthetic he creates in his works, the idea of birth and rebirth was a constant theme that was surfacing through his psyche. This is evident in his choice to have each of his works accompanied by a birthing meteor. 

These futuristic earthy style eggs cracked open with a fleshy interior accompanying each of his sculptures are the ultimate example of Slatter’s subconscious mind being the forefront of inspiration. The genesis of this concept began with a vivid dream: an astral meteor birthing something otherworldly. Each unique sculpture comes with the same birthing meteor to suggest they are all being conceived and created by the same mind.

With each of his creations, Slatter has perfected the horrifically alluring aesthetic within his sculptures made from a varying array of materials such as melted plastic, plaster and most interestingly bones. Tying into the idea of rebirth with the creation of his  birthing meteor, Slatter also incorporates animal bones in his pieces to address the ending of the life cycle, death. By including such an unusual material like bones in his work he gives them a new interpretation, fitting into his ideology surrounding life, death and the way we dream. 

This body of work is the ultimate invitation to the inner workings of the artist's mind, which though may seem like an overused notion in the art realm, has been taken to the ultimate extreme in Slater's case. His work serves as an invitation to journey into the subconscious and experience the extraordinary reality of his dreams after having it mapped out by professionals.