A
strange phenomenon is going on this weekend: Synaesthesia 2. Synaesthesia is an involuntary condition
experienced by some, such as 20th-century classical composers Scriabin and
Messiaen. When they heard a sound or musical pitch, they would automatically
see, in their mind’s eye, some particular color. This variety of synaesthesia
is sometimes called “chromesthesia” or “color hearing.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย In 1934, psychologist E.K. Kelly
carried out experiments “attempt[ing] to produce artificial chromesthesia by
the technique of conditioned response,” that is, by playing musical tones and
showing the same coordinated colored lights over and over again. “Subjects met
four times a week for conditioning at 5 p.m. for seven consecutive weeks.”
Results were negative: Subjects did not develop chromesthesia, or any other type
of synaesthesia.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Don’t worry. You won’t be subjected
to psychological experiments; this weekend’s phenomenon is purely voluntary. On
Friday and Saturday, June 11 and 12, the Synaesthesia Collective is putting on
a show, their second. It promises to be bigger and better than their first,
which took place at the Visual Studies Workshop in April.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย What is the Synaesthesia Collective
and what is their show? Jason Olshefsky, who will
present photographs, views it as “an open-ended group of visual and aural
artists who wish to create common performances.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Eastman-trained
singer, violinist, performance artist, and co-curator of the All-Purpose Room,
Heather Gardner, who is performing as a member of the duo Electrik Vesuvius,
describes it as “not so much
about specific collaborations between two artists (i.e. a composer and a
filmmaker) but allowing our art to happen simultaneously [as] John Cage and
Merce Cunningham talked about in reference to their collaborations.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Technically synaesthesis is
joint perception, simultaneous sensation, perceiving simultaneously, different or opposing impulses of
a work of art harmonized together. Unfortunately,
synaesthesis might sound like the name for medical procedures involving
artificial limbs. So let’s forgive the Collective for naming itself
Synaesthesia, instead of Synaesthesis.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย After all, the
Synaesthesia Collective marches to its own drums. Gardner contrasts it with the
Eastman-RIT-SUNY Brockport Image,
Movement, Sound events: “Instead of filling the structure that an
institution establishes for us, we are trying to let the group be a sum of
individual parts. We all come from diverse backgrounds, some with no formal
training, others with graduate degrees from the Eastman School of Music, and we
are finding new ways to work together both within our own disciplines and
between different disciplines.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย There’s no shortage of spontaneity
or passion in their creative process: “I get a feeling (or idea), and I run to
the instrument or sound source that is anxiously awaiting my love,” says
sound-artist, DJ, and Synaesthesia organizer Paul Burke, “and just keep making
love to that feeling until we are both satisfied. I use microphones, my voice,
tape recorders — mini tape recorders as well — DVD players, 4 tracks,
effects, and any instruments available.” A mysteriously grungy electronic
minimalist sound results.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย While the musicians and sound
artists present their work sequentially, so do the video artists. But the music and videos are not
synchronized. So you choose how to mix them
together in your mind. That’s synaesthesis.
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย I’m particularly intrigued by the
video Invisible
Invasion by Syracuse University video
instructor Carl Diehl, of Robot and Her Wild Ass. As Diehl describes it: “The
familiar audio-visual terrain of 1950s sci-fi is subjected to a cine-molecular
invasion from the future! The alien intruder embeds itself in the fabric of
reality, weaponizing space/time in a kinesthetic
battle for visual supremacy!”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย “It’s a sort of experiment in opening up a
‘possibility space’ between sci-fi and video experimentation,” Diehl says,
“using the narrative structure of 1950s sci-fi to frame the image-sound
manipulation.”
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Leaving no sense unturned,
Nigh-A-List Food Works will serve vegetarian and vegan culinary art. So Synaesthesia 2 promises to be a feast
for the eyes, ears, and mouth. Visit their website for a listing of the more
than 20 artists participating.
Synaesthesia
2takes
place onFriday, June 11, and
Saturday, June 12, starting at 8 p.m. at the All-Purpose Room, 8 Public Market.
Donations encouraged. www.allpurposeroom.org, 423-0320,
www.eclipsedigital.net/synaesthesia, 224-0098.
This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2004.
