Each night when we fall asleep we lose consciousness while our brains remain remarkably active. Early in the night, neurons across the cortex begin firing together in synchrony, producing the slow delta waves of deep sleep. Later, we shift into cycles of REM sleep, when our brain activity resembles wakefulness while our bodies remain paralyzed in slumber, eyes darting rapidly beneath closed lids.

Kindra Crick has been interested in sleep and memory for over a decade. In February 2024, she began sleeping while wearing a portable EEG at night to track her own brainwaves, while also keeping a sleep diary logging dreams, ruminations, and the daily variables that might explain a good or bad night. Along the way, she worked with researchers studying circadian rhythms and a brain region called the claustrum thought to play a key role in synchronizing slow-wave activity, as well as a sleep physician focused on midlife sleep disruption.

In a series of figurative paintings built from sleep data, Crick renders deep sleep, REM, and restless nights of insomnia. By making the brain’s hidden nighttime work visible, Nocturnal Worlds asks us to look differently at our own unconscious hours, when the brain is consolidating memories. Find out why some researchers describe REM sleep as overnight therapy. As a bonus, you’ll walk away with a few thoughts on what to do the next time your mind is looping at 3am.

Kindra Crick is an artist who works at the intersection of art and neuroscience, creating dynamic installations and intricate, layered mixed-media works, through research and collaborations with scientists. Her work is in public collections such as the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England, Princeton University and the Jordan Schnitzer Collection. Crick lives in Portland, OR where her artwork is on display at Waterstone Gallery. Follow her on instagram at @kindra.crick