Dream I

Dream I | Fiber Art Series

by Jaclyn Bae · 2019 · Reclaimed Denim

Dream I by Jaclyn Bae — fiber artwork created from reclaimed denim exploring layered dreams and memory

2019 · Reclaimed Denim · 24 × 48 in

Detail of Dream I by Jaclyn Bae — denim fiber coil texture symbolizing overlapping dreams

Dream I is part of a four-piece fiber art series created from reclaimed denim garments. After removing the original color from the fabric, each strip is coiled, layered, and shaped into a sculptural form. The process mirrors the nature of dreaming itself — circular, repetitive, and constantly unfolding. Within a dream, another dream appears; one thought connects to the next, and memories blend with imagination.

The tight spiral structures symbolize the accumulation of thoughts, while the larger sweeping forms reflect the flow of dreams moving freely across the mind. Denim, a material marked by everyday life, becomes a vessel for emotional history, grounding the abstract nature of dreaming in something familiar and tactile.

This series visualizes the rhythm of inner life — the quiet movement of memories resurfacing, the repetition of ideas, and the cycles of reflection that shape personal narrative. Through texture, form, and motion, Dream I invites the viewer to step into a landscape where dreams are not fleeting illusions, but layered experiences that echo long after waking.

### **In-Depth Analysis: Materiality, Memory, and the Unconscious**


The *Dream* series effectively merges the principles of contemporary **fiber art** with the psychological function of dreaming. The physical process of coiling the reclaimed denim—a material universally associated with **resilience, work, and personal history**—is not just a technical choice but a metaphorical one. Denim, as a fabric that records the wearer's life, transforms into a **vessel for collective memory**, making the abstract concept of the dream tangible and "grounded".


From a psychological perspective, the work speaks directly to the role of art in exploring the **unconscious mind** (Freud) and **personal complexes** (Jung). The artwork's structure, which involves **circular, repetitive coiling** and **layered experiences**, mirrors the brain's process of **emotional regulation** and **memory reprocessing** during sleep. The tight spirals and large sweeping forms act as visual metaphors for the accumulation of thought (manifest content) and the underlying emotional current (latent content) that drive a dream. By transforming discarded material through this repetitive, healing process, *Dream I* asserts that the reconstruction of memory, like the creation of art, is a constant, ongoing effort that allows for a new **self-narrative** to emerge.

© Jaclyn Bae 2025


See also: Dream II

Dream II expands the exploration of layered thoughts and memories — where coiled denim takes on new forms to express the continuous cycles of dreaming.

Dream II by Jaclyn Bae — fiber artwork made from reclaimed denim exploring cycles of dreams and memory

Dream II | Fiber Art Series

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