DREAMACHINE
HOW I FIRST EXPERIENCED DREAMACHINE
I first discovered Brion Gysin and Ian Sommerville's Dreamachine through the work of William Burroughs. I read the quote ' We must storm the citadels of enlightenment, the means are at hand' and my interest was piqued. Some friends assembled a dreamachine using the original instructions that were circulating at the time, and we entered the stroboscobic universe. The interest in flicker and altered states continued through the 90's with regular visits to a club night at the Tactical cafe in Soho's D'Arblay Street which had several dreamachines spinning through out the evening. Run by Frank Rynne, who co-promoted the 'Here to go' the first major exhibition of paintings by Gysin and Burroughs featuring the Master Musicians of Joujouka with readings by Terry Wilson. Wilson, (who lives in the next street to me) was Brion Gysin's last living assistant, long time archivist and previous owner of my two original dreamachines (pictured here).
DREAMACHINE AND LUCIA N°03
In 2012 I was hired as production manager for the psychedelic conference Regeneration. On the last day of this event I experienced the Lucia N°03 hypnagogic light machine for the first time. I was shocked at how powerful the experience was. The effect was similar to the original Dreamachine but more intense with added variety of inner imagery in colours of indescribable beauty. Fusing neuroscience and new technology, Dr Engelbert Winkler & Dr Dirk Proeckl have certainly developed a dreamachine for our times. Just like with the dreamachine thirty years earlier, I am fascinated by the infinite variations of the visuals experienced under the Lucia N°03.
In a full circle moment, I had the privilege of introducing Terry Wilson to the Lucia N°03 - the new generation dreamachine. |