Sleep Paralysis Painting

This distorted and intense portrait is the product of me trying to deal with my recurring sleep paralysis encounters. I wanted to create a figure that is both screaming and unable to scream. In some ways I believe this is a perhaps a subconscious nod to one of my favourite artists Edvard Munch and his incredible portrait ‘The Scream’. A portrait of what many people see as a man screaming, but is in fact the artist hearing a scream. Similarly mine is both simultaneously screaming, and unable to make sound. The haunting visage echoes the eerie sensations of my sleep paralysis episodes. During these moments, my eyes remain wide open, capturing the surroundings in vivid detail, yet my body is imprisoned, frozen in place. It is within this surreal state that 'the figure' materializes, initially lurking at the periphery of my vision. Gradually, it advances, intensifying my sense of terror with every deliberate step. A silent scream reverberates within me, a desire to vocalize my fear stifled by an unseen force. This painting encapsulates the core feelings of that paralyzing experience, translating the amalgamation of fear and the thwarted urge to scream onto the canvas. The choice of black acrylic and silver paint is intended to act as striking contrast, enhancing the surreal nature of the subject. The silver paint also ensures there is some reflection of those observing it, or the room it is in. So that the painting is never the same painting twice, but is changed due to the movements of those around it, or the setting in which it hangs.

Painting:Acrylic on Canvas

Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:23.6 W x 35.4 H x 0.8 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.