Chippewa Valley Times

What if emotions could take form and be seen? Renae van der Hagen, an industrial design student at UW-Stout, explores this concept with her sculpture "Disquiet Dream." The piece is a towering 15-foot deer with stilted legs and antlers spanning 10 feet. Its menacing appearance symbolizes anxiety, inspired by van der Hagen's vivid dream.

Van der Hagen has been recording her dreams for years. She describes "Disquiet Dream" as her "anxiety monster," conceived during a half-awake state when she felt anxious. This sculpture is currently displayed at the Menomonie Rassbach Museum’s Historic Haunted Houses exhibit until November.

Melissa Kneeland, executive director of the Dunn County Historical Society, which operates the museum, said, “This sculpture is a perfect addition to the exhibit, as it is not only creepy and incredibly eye-catching, Renae also built it with common materials that can inspire visitors of all ages to see that art is accessible and can be made with almost anything.”

The pandemic affected van der Hagen during her first year in college, leading to feelings of isolation and anxiety. She explains that in her dream, the creature was always present but invisible to others: “He’s my anxiety monster because nobody else can see him, but I can feel him."

In Professor Kelly O’Brien’s Contemporary Sculpture class in fall 2023, van der Hagen brought this creature to life. With assistance from Deano Samens and Doug Stodola in constructing its frame, she completed the project within three weeks using basic materials like 2x4 boards and papier mâché.

Initially part of a university show at Furlong Gallery in fall 2023 due to its positive reception, "Disquiet Dream" eventually found its way to the museum exhibit. Van der Hagen noted she was ready to dismantle it after class critique but decided against it due to its popularity.

Collaboration played a significant role in bringing this project together. Van der Hagen emphasized its importance: “You have to know people... It takes a community to help push out art so others can see it.”

Kneeland highlighted the value of such collaborations: “It allows the museum to benefit from the fresh and creative ideas of students... their work can be enjoyed by and inspire members of the wider community.”

Van der Hagen plans future projects involving "Disquiet Dream," potentially creating a smaller version or mounting its head next to another fantastical sculpture at the museum. Having switched majors from mechanical engineering during the pandemic, she now embraces industrial design for combining creativity with practical making.

She aims to graduate in spring 2025 and hopes to pursue work involving ideation processes and modeling.