Hanne van Beers projects

Are you asleep yet? Sleeping is a crucial part of our overall well-being. During sleep our bodies get to recover and our minds get to process all the information they collected during the day. Sleeping well also reduces stress and the risks of becoming ill, it improves your mood and it fosters creativity.  However many people struggle getting quality sleep at night. The effects of not sleeping well can be immediately noticeable or they can have an unseen impact.

With my project ‘Lullaby’ I want to improve how we sleep. Not by prescribing sleeping medication but by offering tools that use tactility, colour and movement to build new sleeping rituals and mental pathways. I discovered that trying to improve your sleep is not something that should only be practiced during the night, but especially during the day. My objects therefore should be embedded in everyday life.

‘Lullaby’ consists of 4 different objects. The first is an artificial lung that mechanically changes shape representing breathing. By being in the same room it unconsciously trains you to slow down your breathing rhythm. The second are textiles with textured patterns that you can follow when you lie awake at night, guiding you back to sleep. The third are woven tapestries depicting moving clouds to remind you to let your thoughts pass by. Finally, the fourth is a rope with oversized beads used to practice breathing exercises through repetitive actions. In each object slowness, repetition and crafts play an important role.

(More info and photos will be added in the future)