Insomniac

Solo Exhibition by ViewPoint Member Ed Brisson

August 6-30 2026

Most of my life, I’ve suffered from insomnia. It started when I was fourteen and persisted through my getting married, having a kid, and moving cross-country. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from melatonin to herbal teas, from exercise to removing all clocks and electronics from the bedroom. Everyone I talked to had a solution and loved to share articles they’d stumbled across or advice from a friend-of-a-friend who had dealt with similar.

But none of it worked. Ever.

To cope, I often go for long drives or walks late into the night, sometimes not returning until the sun is coming up. Exploring backroads and sleeping neighbourhoods long after everyone has gone to bed is equally eerie and peaceful. In that quiet, I’m usually able to calm my constantly racing mind. 

The goal of Insomniac is to capture that feeling -- the disconnect from the rest of the world that runs on a different schedule, of existing and exploring while the rest of the city sleeps. Of finding comfort in the quiet solitude of night.