Synesthesia

"Synesthesia" are musical-film works, which are conceived with a focus on the senses of sight and sound. These works are capable of being performed only by individuals who are practiced in the visual and musical arts.

These images are examples of performances, rehearsals and installations of synesthesia works. Some are collaborations.

Pterodactyls in Times Square: still frame

This is a still frame render of the bird form flying through the cityscape.

Pterodactyls in Times Square: still frame

A still shot of a flock of birds flying through space. There is an overlay of animated shapes in the foreground, expanding the color range.

Pterodactyls in Times Square: still frame

This is Erin Barbour, the composer, during a dress rehearsal for the debut of the piece. The original score was sent to me, along with subsequent revisions, during the writing process, and I would upload sample renders of animation sequences and still frame sketches online. The whole collaboration was done online and by telephone as we were both continually on the go. This process took about a year. Rendering was slow, as I was working on a mac G4. It was almost like the mystery experienced when doing stop motion, entirely in-camera.

The animation was edited and with the midi track of the music, in order to adhere to the temporal cadence of the music and the overall narrative. When the animation and music were agreed upon, the music was eliminated and replaced by a click track. The performers (Barbour and I Jen Fang) follow the click track from the DVD during performance.

Pterodactyls in Times Square: still frame

This is another still shot of the bird creature making another pass through the architecture of the cityscape.

Pterodactyls in Times Square: still frame

I Jen Fang, during the dress rehearsal for the debut of the work. She is playing the grand marimba. Erin was on the xylophone.

Synesthesia 1: still frame

The work is conceived as a unified audio and visual experience. The images and sounds are intended to be experienced simultaneously. This composition is inspired by a neurological phenomenon (called synesthesia) whereby sensory stimuli are confused. A person with synesthesia has their senses "linked" together, resulting in sounds that can be interpreted visually and images that can be interpreted aurally.

Synesthesia 1: still frame

The work is conceived as a unified audio and visual experience. The images and sounds are intended to be experienced simultaneously. This composition is inspired by a neurological phenomenon (called synesthesia) whereby sensory stimuli are confused. A person with synesthesia has their senses "linked" together, resulting in sounds that can be interpreted visually and images that can be interpreted aurally.

Synesthesia 1: still frame

The work is conceived as a unified audio and visual experience. The images and sounds are intended to be experienced simultaneously. This composition is inspired by a neurological phenomenon (called synesthesia) whereby sensory stimuli are confused. A person with synesthesia has their senses "linked" together, resulting in sounds that can be interpreted visually and images that can be interpreted aurally.