Living With Alice: Migraine Awareness Series

11x11 Living With Alice Centerpiece 2025

Imagine you're in the bathroom, taking care of business as per usual, when you suddenly notice the tile floor. It appears to warp upward, popping forward towards your face, almost like you're wearing 3D glasses. Alternatively, picture yourself sitting in class. Your hands seem to be very far away, while a green white silhouette outlines your teacher. The text on their slideshow seems to detach from itself, and you begin to feel increasingly disconnected from your body, as if you're shrinking in your chair. Everything you focus on starts to look like it's moving and shifting. Textures dance and fluctuate, and the fluorescent lights buzz and scream in your ears.

Hello, my name is Emry Renee Goff. I experience the world uniquely due to a condition called Alice in Wonderland Syndrome Migraines. "Living with Alice" is a collection of nine anaglyph illustrations that I created to bring awareness to this type of Migraine. Using the anaglyph Technique, I use two interposed images with colors opposite on the light spectrum to create the illusion of depth which the viewer can see when wearing 3D glasses.

Alice in Wonderland syndrome is a rare condition that affects how a person perceives the world. Examples include objects in the person's focus appearing larger or smaller than they are, distortion in how large or small the person perceives their body to be, and perception of time being slower or faster. I used the technique referred to as an anaglyph to an attempt to bring the experience of having one of these migraines to the general public.

Photo of Artist with her parents at Minneapolis College of Art and Design Senior Exhibition 2025

I've likely been experiencing less intense symptoms of these migraines my entire life. (I have childhood memories of floor tiles appearing to move) but they began popping up more during my time at MCAD likely to do with myriad of factors including but limited to stress.

I was told during my exhibition at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gallery that my work caused mild eyestrain when wearing the the 3D glasses which while not initially my intention I think it adds to this series. That feeling of eye strain and headache is just a part of my everyday life now and I wanted to share that part of my experience with you.

I wanted to normalize that discomfort. I can't be the only person trying to disguise a sense of sensory overstimulation while just trying to get through the day. Thankfully my neurologist has prescribed me medication that makes my symptoms manageable and I'm grateful to her everyday that she knew what I was struggling with. But if you have a similar experience, even if it's not the same exact one as mine. I want you to know that you're not alone.