In art, automatism refers to creating art without conscious thought, accessing material from the unconscious mind as part of the creative process. Mithridate designer Demon Zhang describes the misunderstanding creators and innovators who push both their personal limits as well as the limits of society, and the strength found in their refusal to be defined by the world. These individuals are committed to defining themselves by a relentless and brave pursuit into their innermost beings, thoughts, desires, impulses. They trust what lies within them, not looking outside for answers but trusting their inner flame. The protagonist of Automatiste is one such individual. We enter her world which is a nonsensical journey through the ins and outs of her mind, dreams, thought processes, and memories. This feeling-evoking and intimate work confronts barriers that we usually keep up for protection, resulting in a beautiful, haunting, surreal, disjointed, serene, confusing, calming, conflicting experience. In a time when external travel is not allowed, we musn’t underestimate the power of inner travel. What lies in our imaginations? What is possible if we dig a bit deeper below the surface? What truths can we uncover? Dig up? Dust off and stare at? Confront? There is an intensity when we live in this way, create in this way, in the absence of safety, but also in rich moments where what seemed impossible minutes ago is then staring you in the face. The surrealists believed that we could reveal our truths in our unconscious minds, and learn about our true selves through automatic art, which is a method of making art where you don’t consciously choose what you are doing or make decisions, but instead you create while not thinking to see what comes out of your deepest inner being. Hence the name of this work, Automatiste.