It is common for readers to picture images as they read along the next few sentences --- varying from an image of a sharply-dressed man speaking these very lines with a cigar in hand behind a grand oak table in a library decked with volumes of leather-bound encyclopedias, or a reader could picture an empty void with an omniscient voice in the distant echoing the very words being read right now --- a voluntary imagery as a response to what readers see.
In rare cases, a small number of readers do not have the more voluntary imagery and instead would have a more unique response. To less than five percent of the world’s population, instead of having a reaction that’s more relatable to the majority, they would hear sounds or have their sense of taste triggered by just reading the few lines of this paragraph. This unique phenomenon is called synesthesia.
Synesthesia (pronounced sin-uh s-thee-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh) is defined as "a sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color". An alien sensation to most of us at the gallery, leaving us intrigued and frustrated at the thought of having to live with the sensation.
In other words and quickly becoming a common expression used in the gallery when explaining the phenomenon; a ‘hi-jacking’ of the senses. The malice connoted to ‘hijacking’ refers to how uncommon it is for non-synesthetes to have another sense take over what they are more familiar with. Synesthetes experience this sensation on a daily basis and have adjusted to having synesthesia.
We at Creative Space see synesthesia as a phenomenon rather than a condition faced by such a small number of world’s population and, with that in mind have decided that our next EMERGE project to be themed ‘Synesthesia’. We have invited artists to showcase artworks that explore the unique world of synesthesia by combining audio and visual together to create a unique gallery experience.
The exhibition allows local talents to practice their creative prowess combining their aural and visual senses to translate to the audience a unique sensation that some may be or may not be familiar with, allowing a better understanding of synesthesia. Selected audio material ranging from ambient sounds, musical scores to pieces of scripture give the artists a source of inspiration behind each and every artwork.
EMERGE 4: SYNESTHESIA opens Sunday 10th of September 2017 to 8th of October 2017, and the public are invited, with headphones/ earphones in hand to immerse themselves in the world of synesthesia.
EMERGE is an initiative by Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio to provide a platform for local emerging artist to showcase their artworks to the public. The EMERGE exhibition is a recording of the creative talents the nation has to offer, providing an awareness locally and internationally.
Feel free to leave a comment below on your understanding of synesthesia or your experiences having synesthesia. Subscribe with us to get updates on our exploration of synesthesia, our upcoming events or drop us a message and share with us your art stories.
Artwork credits to Mughni Ahmad