Date of Award
Spring 5-10-2025
Document Type
Honors Thesis
Department/Major
Studio Art
Additional Department
Education
First Advisor
Professor Ariadne Albright
Second Advisor
Dr. Lauren Freese
Third Advisor
Dr. Leah Seurer
Keywords
Painting, Nightmares, Psychology, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Symbols and Archetypes, Collective Unconscious, Surrealism, Art, Dream Interpretation
Subject Categories
Art and Design | Art Education | Art Practice | Arts and Humanities | Cognitive Psychology | Painting | Theory and Philosophy
Abstract
Over the past two years, I created a series of paintings to explore the meaning of my nightmares. This study analyzes the themes and symbols in these dreams through the psychological frameworks of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Freud’s causal approach focuses on repressed desires, while Jung’s method relies on mythological symbols and archetypes in the collective unconscious. Drawing on the ideas of André Breton and the Surrealist movement, I examine how art can bridge dreams and waking life. By painting my dreams, I aim to better understand my unconscious and invite viewers to question their perception of reality. This thesis explores how artistic practice can serve as a powerful tool for interpreting the unconscious mind.
Recommended Citation
Wright, Shelby, "The Art of Dreaming: A Surrealist Approach to Dream Analysis" (2025). Honors Thesis. 359.
https://red.library.usd.edu/honors-thesis/359
Included in
Art Education Commons, Art Practice Commons, Cognitive Psychology Commons, Painting Commons, Theory and Philosophy Commons