This project explores the idea of Synesthesia, a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive path. A person affected with synesthesia may hear a certain tone or musical note and see a colour, smell a scent and hear a sound, or see a word and taste a flavour. Users of psilocybin, the active ingredient found within most varieties of magic mushroom, often report altered states of consciousness and a syneasthesia like sensory confusion. This interactive, ambient piece, which consists of about 30 clear cast resin mushrooms wired onto RGB LED sound activated lighting; combines movement, sound, light and colour to simulate and visualise this unusual experience.
Using various sounds recorded from nature, a contact microphone, an infrared motion detector and a program called ‘swoosh’ The installation uses specific hand gestures to alter the reverb, pitch shift and speed of the recording.