Wat images linger when you rub the sleep from your eyes? In “The Gathering Dark,” Valérie Naessens ventures to the realm where the soul speaks and the subconscious clings. Each image is a window into the dreamer’s inner world.

This series transcends the boundaries of logic. Just as the brain in dreams weaves together random memories and impressions, Naessens melds fragments that initially seem unrelated. She sleepwalks through the subconscious, shedding rules and restrictions.

Shadows misalign. Details blur, as if forgetting has already begun. Other elements stand out through color contrast. Everything is important, yet nothing is. There is no clear beginning or end.

What is real and what is illusion? What story are you telling yourself? How thin is the line between belief and experience?

During a holiday with friends, Valérie Naessens is jolted awake at night by her own screams. Her mind seizes control of her body, ending her sleep. Friends awaken too. Their questions at breakfast and her uneasy relationship with dreams form the basis for the series.

She longs to forget what she saw in her sleep. Yet, the night continues to enchant her. When the house sleeps, everything falls into place, creating space to be and observe. The night is the world’s pause button; all sharp edges disappear, leaving only the essence. Darkness spreads a blanket of tranquility, allowing a soft landing. You turn inward, and then they loom naturally: the random memories and impressions, as in a dream.