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August 2024 (2)

A microphone to share neurodiversity knowledge… and synesthetes’ stories

Pat Duffy interviews Maike Preissing, the UK Synaesthesia Assocation's youngest and most recent Board member and creator of the “Let’s Talk Synesthesia” podcast series

For the last year and a half, psychologist Maike Preissing and her co-host the artist Zoesthesia have been interviewing some of the big names in the synesthesia world and also a great selection of other people who have something interesting to say about synesthesia and neurodiversity in general. After a summer break they’re back to recording more episodes. There’s something for everyone to listen to, so why not have a look through the Spotify list and tune in to whichever episodes interest you most?

Let's Talk Synesthesia podcasts

Read Pat’s recent interview with Maike on the Journey Through the Senses website here



August 2024 (1)

Some synesthesia films in 2024

Magnetosphere

Here’s the trailer for "Magnetosphere," a family comedy about a 13-year-old girl growing up with synesthesia, written and directed by Nicola Rose and with a star line-up of actors. The official release will be in October 2024 at the Buffalo International Film Festival.

See the trailer for Magnetosphere here


Música

Based on writer, director and star Rudy Mancuso, “MÚSICA” is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia who must come to terms with an uncertain future while navigating the pressures of love, family and his Brazilian culture in Newark, New Jersey.

Synesthete artist Geri Hahn says of the film: “Best film I ever saw about synesthesia!! When the main character described his relationship to sound and rhythm, I burst into tears. It was/is my world. (…)  I highly recommend seeing this with non-Syn friends or family". 

See the trailer for Música here

See more of Geri and her fascinating world in this short “Vice” video: 

What’s It Like to See Sound – 10 Questions


July 2024 (3)

A colourful book for mini-synesthetes


Christy Gurley is a synesthete artist based in the California region whose beautiful designs radiate colour and light. She’s recently been interviewed by Pat Duffy for the Journey Through the Senses website about the children’s book she’s written, Sereya’s Superpower, with illustrations by Anita Morgan. It’s about a little synesthete girl and how she sees the world, and the book is ideal for very young children so parents of the newest synesthetic generation should check it out! The JTTS interview is a great way to get to know Christy as an emerging artist and author and the creator of Starshine Designs Art, and find out how she aspires to bring the colourful world of synesthesia to a bigger audience.


Read Pat’s interview with Christy here


Get Sereya's Superpower here

Synesthesia Tree author Pau discovers Christy's new book at the conference in Spain


July 2024 (2)


Mamoru Watanabe, a PhD candidate at the University of Bristol, UK, is offering the opportunity for synesthetes to take part in a synesthesia communication workshop in the UK. Get in touch if you're interested!

Mamoru says:

"We will be hosting the workshop "Sensory Dialogue: Workshops for Exploring Synaesthetic Communication" on the 12th, 17th, and 22nd of July 2024 at the University of Bristol and/or Goldsmiths, University of London, UK. We are currently seeking participants for this workshop. This workshop focuses on the communication aspects of synaesthesia within synaesthetes. Participants need to have synaesthesia (any types are welcome!) and be able to communicate in English (fluency is not necessary). Our workshop aims to explore how text, sensory materials, creative tools (including computational software such as Generative AI), and conversations could support articulating their synaesthetic experiences.

Please message or email me (mamoru.watanabe@bristol.ac.uk) with your name, synaesthesia type, and your preferred date (choose one from the options provided). We will cover your travel expenses within the UK. We look forward to hearing from you!

Dates:

12/07/2024 (Friday): 12-3:30 pm (Location: Bristol) – Including coffee/tea break

17/07/2024 (Wednesday): 12-3:30 pm (Location: Bristol or London) – Including coffee/tea break

22/07/2024 (Monday) 12-3:30 pm (Location: Bristol or London) – Including coffee/tea break

Workshop leader:

Mamoru Watanabe (PhD candidate at the University of Bristol, UK)

Contact email: mamoru.watanabe@bristol.ac.uk


July 2024 (1)

Synesthesia Awareness Day virtual meetup on July 2nd

The initiator of this event is Stephen, who says:

“Last year I founded an official Synesthesia Awareness Day, which is held annually on July 2. We host a virtual meet-up, showcase artists and other things to help the synesthesia community get some much needed attention. Would love for people on this sub to be able to partake, we have people join from all over the world!”


The 2024 virtual meet-up will be held by Zoom on Tuesday 2 July at 2 p.m. UTC.


If you’d like to attend or would like more information, take a look at Stephen’s synesthesia website.


March 2024

Check out this interesting interview with James Wannerton on the Journey through the Senses website!

James Wannerton is a well-known lexical-gustatory synesthete who has made many media appearances and is the President of the UK Synaesthesia Association. He recently collaborated with a successful theatre piece, Pete Carruthers' The Possibility of Colour, about neurodiversity, synesthesia and how we can fight against the standardisation of our society and the dark possibility of deriving towards a dystopian future. Pat Duffy interviews James to find out more about the play and how he reacted to seeing a word-tasting synesthete being brought to life on stage for the first time.

Read the article here


Pat's Q&A is posted in connection with this year's Neurodiversity Week, from 18th-24th of March. Find out more here!



February 2024 (2)

Take a look at beautiful recent works by synesthete artists on this site and… 
Listen in to the Synesthesia Art Talks on Wednesday 28th February

The synaesthesia.art team says:

"synaesthesia.art is the first online gallery for synaesthetic art and was launched in summer 2023. With the synaesthesia.art talks series we present the work of contemporary artists whose work looks at synaesthesia from diverse perspectives. The artists in our talks experience synaesthesia themselves, which informs their work. Each talk offers a unique look into the experience and creative processes of the artists we celebrate at synaesthesia.art.

synaesthesia.art talk #1 on 28/02/2024 at 3pm (GMT) with talks by the artists Ninghui Xiong (China), CC Hart (USA) and Timothy B Layden (UK).

Moderation: Michael Haverkamp

The Zoom link to access the Art Talk will be available on the gallery website synaesthesia.art on 28/02/2024.

We look forward to seeing you there!"




February 2024 (1)

 

“The Possibility of Colour”, a new play written by Pete Carruthers, is on tour in the UK.


Pete collaborated with James Wannerton for his inclusion of lexical-gustatory synesthesia in the piece, a funny, thought-provoking work about AI-induced standardisation of minds exploring the topic of neurodiversity.

“The Possibility of Colour” will soon be forming part of training given to health professionals.

“I think it’s fair to say that when most people witness unusual traits in others, they’re much more likely to respond with fear and suspicion than with curiosity and open-mindedness … it results in missed opportunities for the whole of society, with its blinkered insistence on a perceived ‘neurotypical’ ideal.”

Pete Carruthers                   


See the 4-minute trailer for the play here


Find out what’s behind the scenes: Pat Duffy interviews Pete Carruthers on the Journey Through the Senses website here

And why not attend a film screening of the play, interviews and dinner and drinks if you can be in Innsbruck, Austria on the 24th of February?  More info here

This event is part of Maike Pressing’s celebrations for the one-year anniversary of her Let’s Talk Synesthesia podcast.

 

January 2024

7th online Synesthesia seminar: Cuisine

17th of January, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. GMT

 

The seminar will delve into the concept of taste as a multisensory experience. How does the interplay of multiple senses impact our experience of eating and drinking? Furthermore, how do modern chefs engage in experimental approaches with synesthetic flavors?

 

Speakers:

 

Gabriela Ruiz Lugo – chef and restaurant owner, named the best chef in Mexico by the Mexican Gastronomic Council;

 

James Wannerton – artist and writer, President of the UK Synaesthesia Association;

 

Qian Janice Wang – Associate Professor of Consumer Psychology at the University of Copenhagen;

 

Concluding words by Carolyn CC Hart, IASAS Secretary.

 

Click here for the link to the live seminar


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1 comment:

  1. The Possibility of Colour is a great play!

    ReplyDelete