Synesthesia, Cymatics, and Ways of Knowing

Our three reading assignments cover different concepts that can all fall under the umbrella of methods of perception. There are so many ways to perceive the world and no two people have the same exact outlook on everything they experience. What really strikes me is how necessary it can be to blend the senses in order to understand stimuli. It seems that many people seem to have forms of synesthesia that vary in type and severity. When discussing synesthesia with my friends, many of them told me that they relate and also associate different senses with each other. I find that the blending of senses can also be very helpful in learning. Such as the visualization of numbers in space to help with math equations or relating sounds to numbers or letters to aid in playing an instrument. Our senses inherently overlap when experience the world and understanding this is essential to understanding perception in general.

             Synesthetic properties can also be mimicked through science as evident through the usage of cymatics. When sound waves are recorded visually we can portray a synesthetic experience that not only portrays the blending of senses but also the blending of disciplines, in this case art and science. Associating the experiences of senses can be effective when utilized in art in order to influence a viewer. Whether the effort is to portray the artist’s own synesthesia or an attempt to influence the audience to experience some synesthetic effect. Taking advantage of synesthetic perceptions can allow an artist to deeply effect a viewer through the full and rich experience of linking the senses and associations.