In a world that demands constant engagement and productivity, the act of daydreaming, of retreating into one’s thoughts, is often seen as frivolous or idle. Yet, it is in those very moments of mental wandering where creativity is born, where boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, and where new possibilities take shape. Head in the Clouds brings together a group of emerging contemporary artists who explore this space of escape, offering works that challenge the notion of detachment as purely indulgent and instead reframe it as a vital tool for imagining new realities.
In an era marked by hyperconnectivity, political unrest, and cultural saturation, the impulse to withdraw from the external world can be seen as a form of resistance. For some, the retreat into one’s imagination or dreams offers a refuge from a reality that is too heavy to bear. For others, it becomes a source of renewal, where new ideas and uncharted futures can be conceived. Head in the Clouds also draws heavily from the traditions of surrealism and the sublime, where art transforms the intangible thoughts, dreams, and subconscious impulses into concrete forms. The exhibition embraces the surreal as a way to express the ungraspable, to give shape to the elusive emotions and visions that reside in the spaces of our minds we can only visit in passing.
At the heart of Head in the Clouds is the tension between the act of escape and the pull of reality. Dana Blume for instance creates surreal worlds where unnameable creatures act out human anxieties and absurdities, turning dark emotions into light-hearted cautionary tales that inspire empathy and self-acceptance. Wedhar Riyadi blends mass media imagery with surrealism, reflecting Indonesia’s socio-political shifts and exploring the psychological effects of pop culture through playful yet unsettling narratives.Yuki Ando draws on natural elements like sacred trees and stone formations, creating soft, pastel-toned works that evoke comfort and balance, offering a visual exploration of the fluidity of imagination.
Hampus Wernemyr’s paintings capture the fleeting moments of waking from dreams, where joy and sorrow coexist in blurred, magical imagery that straddles the line between fantasy and reality. Douglas de Souza’s vibrant, collage-like paintings mix symbols, pop culture, and kitsch to explore masculinity and its stereotypes, using saturated colors and digital sharpness to reflect on the playful and serious aspects of identity. Jack Kenna combines found objects and digital imagery in his works, crafting surreal juxtapositions that explore the fluid boundaries between personal and collective experience.
Together, these artists embrace the surreal, the whimsical, and the fantastical as tools to transform intangible thoughts and dreams into concrete forms. Head in the Clouds is an exhibition that celebrates the power of escape—not as a retreat from reality, but as a vital act of resistance, renewal, and creation.
