Dream of a Night in Giza is a transdisciplinary series of 46 artworks by Daniel Augusto Chiesa Lanaro (Dan Aug), developed between 2002 and 2019, in which Egyptian cosmology becomes a visual language to explore time, memory, and the structure of existence.
The series begins in 2002 with First Contemplation, marking the initial emergence of a narrative that would unfold across forty-six artworks over nearly two decades. Rather than a collection of isolated pieces, Dream of a Night in Giza functions as a continuous conceptual system, where each work contributes to a larger cosmological and narrative structure.
This process reflects a distinctive methodology in which the image precedes the story, and visual intuition becomes the generator of narrative meaning.
Rather than a conventional art series, Dream of a Night in Giza represents a transdisciplinary exploration where visual language becomes a medium to investigate time, memory, and cosmological perception.
Its significance lies in its ability to bridge ancient cosmological thought with contemporary artistic practice, establishing a coherent system where image, narrative, and philosophy converge.
Drawing from Egyptian cosmology, the series incorporates symbolic structures such as cyclical regeneration, cosmic order, and transformation. These are not represented as historical references, but translated into a contemporary visual language that operates between abstraction and figuration.
Elements such as landscapes, celestial bodies, and architectural forms function as symbolic carriers of meaning, suggesting a universe in constant transition.
Within this visual system, the figure of Neferu gradually emerges as a central presence — a witness and participant in a reality that unfolds beyond linear time. This progression ultimately leads to the literary expansion of the series in the novel The Legacy of Neferu, where the visual narrative evolves into written form.
Dream of a Night in Giza represents more than an artistic production; it is a sustained investigation into how meaning is constructed across visual and narrative domains. The series establishes a bridge between ancient cosmological thought and contemporary artistic practice.
Exhibited and recognized in international contexts across the United States and Europe, the work has been acknowledged for its conceptual depth and its capacity to articulate a coherent transdisciplinary vision.
Egyptian cosmology · Non-linear time · Memory · Visual narrative · Transdisciplinary art · Cosmological symbolism · Contemporary art practice
→ Egyptian Cosmology in Contemporary Art — theoretical foundation
→ What is The Legacy of Neferu? — narrative expansion
Author: Daniel Augusto Chiesa Lanaro (Dan Aug)