The arts attempt to convey visions and concepts from one mind to another. Is there value in translating nightmare?

H.R. Giger Gigapixelpicture © Ars Electronica in accordance with Fair Use Policy

A brain is only capable of what it could conceive, and it couldn’t conceive what it hasn’t experienced.

―Graham Greene, Brighton Rock

H.R. Giger, Biomechanical Landscape
image © dreamside in accordance with Fair Use Policy

Everyone experiences at some point the fearful awakening from nightmare: the unelicited scream, the chest tight with overabundance of breath, the sudden jolt into consciousness. Whether the dream recoils quickly into oblivion or haunts us for hours or days, we know it has power over us, at least when we are asleep. Some artists are given to exploring their nightmares and fleshing out what lies there. The attempt to share fear, whether to amplify or dilute it, to bring others to a…