Oscar Oiwa: Dreams of a Sleeping World

On view January 10 – April 26

Just how much can an environment open and shape our minds? Japanese American (by way of Brazil) artist Oscar Oiwa, known for his giant canvases and large frescoes, has created the immersive art of Dreams of a Sleeping World to ask a poignant question: What do we do when we are paralyzed by the chaos of our times? Oiwa is concerned that when the noise of our everyday world surges, we shut down our otherwise radiant minds. In this “sleep” state, we look to our dreams to reset, searching our subconscious for the wisdom to better face the dysfunction of our world. To that end, Oiwa invites visitors to enter his 360° dreamscape and find the nourishment to transform clenched fists into open hearts.

Dreams features an installation of a new immersive space, created specific for USC PAM, and large-scale artworks for which Oiwa is renown. Created by Oiwa, his assistant and four MFA students from USC, the inflatable artwork took two weeks and 120 sharpie markers to complete. Complimenting this immersive experience is a dynamic installation of Oiwa’s large scale paintings shedding light on his surrealist and imaginative dreamscapes.