Somewhere between a joyful play of light and shadows, a genuine interest in our past and a critical understanding of its profound failings, Hannah Sophie Dunkelberg’s shimmering wall reliefs, dressed sculptures and velvety wicker baskets meet. Echoing a ceaseless negotiation of dichotomies, the soft fabric of the different pajamas rests on the cold bronze material of the dark statues.

A few centuries ago, these naked archers were considered among the cornerstones of an artist’s training (a male artist, that is, since everyone else was not eligible to enter the academies at the time). "Chi dorme non pecca" can be read across the striped textiles – he who sleeps does not sin – thus implying that sleep provides a reprieve from sin or, at least, offers a chance to reset and start anew, free from past transgressions. Hannah Sophie Dunkelberg gives the archers a possibility to relax from their previous commitments and contexts, offering them a space to escape their sometimes ambiguous tales for a moment. If we go deeper than Greek mythology and the image of Apollo with his bow and arrow, we may also encounter figures of English folklore such as Robin Hood. Of course, there are many tales beyond the Global North that celebrate archers as their heroes: In Chinese mythology, for instance, Houyi is known for shooting down nine out of the ten suns that were scorching the Earth, leaving only one to provide the necessary light and warmth for the world. He saved humanity from the unbearable heat and devastation caused by the excessive suns. No one would blame these figures for being exhausted after their heroic deeds and needing a moment’s rest to close their eyes and recuperate.

Beyond rest and rejuvenation, however, sleep is also a gateway to other realms. Sleep is a site where alternative narratives, experiences, and realities emerge. Sleep is a state of vulnerability and surrender, a temporary withdrawal from the external world, where our consciousness is suspended. It is a liminal space that exists outside the immediate control and influence of our past, thereby becoming a potential site for reimagination and dreaming.