Sleep Paralysis Painting by Alex Ariza

Sleep Paralysis Assignment Prompt

Create a double page spread; dimensions are 8.5 inches by 22 inches. Imaginary client / publication is Playboy Magazine.

During sleep paralysis you're aware of your surroundings but can't move your body or speak. Hallucinations are common and often includes feeling a threatening presence, pressure on the chest, or out-of-body sensations. Historical depictions of sleep paralysis included demonic or supernatural creatures such as the incubus or succubus. Some parts of the world describe visions of an "Old Hag" or ghost oppression.

Some patients described the sensation as "a devil laying upon their chest."

The most famous painting depicting sleep paralysis is Henry Fuseli's, The Nightmare.

Sleep Paralysis by Alex Ariza

Sleep Paralysis by Alex Ariza 2008, acrylic paint and ink on paper

This painting, Sleep Paralysis, by Alex Ariza, features a nude horse headed woman sitting on top of a male victim experiencing sleep paralysis. The man is conscious but unable to move or run away as his body is still asleep. The room features two doors with the one closest to the viewer slightly ajar. This is to build the psychological tension of an exit so close by, but unable to be reached by the victim due to their paralysis. The wall paper is striped and can be read as prison bars or a baby crib, further heightening the psychological tension of the inability to escape. The ceiling is ambiguous and dark like a thunderstorm is about to form. The horse headed woman figure is unnaturally colored to portray the supernatural quality of the sleep paralysis phenomenon. This painting draws inspiration from the historical depictions of sleep paralysis by including the presence of a horse. The decision to make the figure a nude woman is to align the image to the client publication, Playboy, while also paying homage to Fuseli's painting which was initially criticized for its overt sexuality upon first viewing in 1781 at the Royal Academy of London.

The Nightmare, Johann Heinrich Fuseli 1781