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Ra\u00fal de Nieves\u2019 multimedia work turns the everyday into fantastical experiences overflowing with love, comedy and promise for a better tomorrow. His studio, affectionately named the \u201ccave of dreams\u201d, is a windowless room in the basement of the Dreamhouse, a multipurpose space for artists and performers in Brooklyn. 2017 has been a good year for the 33-year-old Mexican-American, whose opera, \u201cThe Fool\u201d, in collaboration with Colin Self, debuted at The Kitchen to critical acclaim in February. In April he was featured in NYMag, and is now one of the more acclaimed artists at this year\u2019s Whitney Biennial, which features his largest installation to date. Moreover, de Nieves is showing no signs of slowing down: he has two solo shows opening in late autumn plus a handful of residencies, including a stay on Mykonos.\nGlueing crocheted roses to a silken, lilac ribbon, he describes his daily routine where he \u201clistens to metal [music, while] making bridal shoes for the queen of fantasy in the cave of dreams.\u201d The piece he is working on will be used in an upcoming performance, he says, and like many of the sculptures in his studio, it started out as a shoe.<\/p>\n