THE RED BOOK PROJECT

Dream Work and the Unconscious

In January 2020, I joined a creative and introspective project initiated by the Women’s Salon Los Angeles (WSLA), inspired by the tenth anniversary of Carl Jung’s The Red Book. Our goal was to explore the unconscious through dream images, using art as a way to engage with those symbolic messages.

We began meeting monthly to share dreams and activate their imagery through discussion based on Jungian theory. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our meetings shifted to a virtual format, and we began gathering twice a month as a way to stay connected and manage the emotional toll of isolation and uncertainty.

Each session, three members present a dream and later transform its symbols into an artwork. These pieces are being compiled into a collective book that documents our process. A sister collective, Salón México, based in Mexico City, also joined the initiative and holds bi-monthly dream sessions.

The shift to virtual meetings has opened the door for a truly international dialogue. WSLA now includes women based in Japan and Guatemala, while Salón México welcomes artists from Paris and London. It has been a profound and transformative experience to be part of this collaborative journey across borders.