BBC Wales Science Café with Adam Walton 2023

Tonight at 6:30 pm on BBC Wales Science Café Adam Walton talks to UWTSD’s Associate Professor Julia Lockheart and world-leading sleep expert Professor Mark Blagrove to discuss their book The Science and Art of Dreaming (2023) published by Routledge.

On the programme, they will explain the psychology and neuroscience of dreaming and describe how their science art project has shown that dream-sharing increases empathy between people, and explore art and surrealism. 

Mark Blagrove is a professor of psychology at Swansea University specialising in the study of sleep and dreams. Dr Lockheart set up the Metadesign Research Centre (MdRC) at UWTSD’s Swansea College of Art and in 2016 they began their science art collaboration DreamsID. 

The Science of Art and Dreaming examines the biological, psychological, and social causes of dreaming and outlines recent advances in the study of nightmares and lucid dreaming. It offers a compelling re-reading of the dreams of Freud’s patient, the feminist hero Dora, and illustrates how the playfulness, originality and metaphorical content of dreams link them to art. It also describes how films have drawn on dreams and dream-like processes.

It also encourages sharing dreams to promote imagination, creativity, self-reflection, and closeness to others. Each chapter starts with a dream narrative and accompanying painting of the dream, to highlight aspects of each chapter themes.

Blagrove and Lockheart recently filled the Wye Stage at the Hay Festival 2023 showing the extent of the general interest in dreaming. They have also been invited to give a DreamsID performance at the opening of the Jung Institute in Zurich in June, and are planning further events promoting their book including visits to Los Angeles and Berkeley later this month.

Dr Lockheart said: “Exploring the differences between how art and science approach dreaming has been transformative for me. Our performances and dream salons have been of great benefit to the people who shared their dreams, and on us and our audiences. This has also led to original and impactful research which we detail in our book. It was great to talk to the BBC’s Adam Walton about this on his programme.”

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071