The Color of Sound
Jumanah Saklou at the Demo Day for Creative solutions, 2023, courtesy of Ithra.
When it comes to the legendary Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), who pioneered abstract art, his source of inspiration was drawn from his ability to see colors when he heard sounds. He drew his painting as a visual response to hearing musical concerts or instruments. He had a condition called Synesthesia, which is defined as a condition where people experience the activation of one sense as the result of experiencing another.
For instance, a person who has synesthesia can see sounds as bright colors represented with a certain shape in their mind because of having two senses cross-wired in their brain. There are other types of synesthesia such as auditory-tactile synesthesia where you feel sounds physically or lexical-gustatory synesthesia where you taste certain words.
“Sensing beyond the frame” is a virtual reality experience that immerses the user in a living perception of synesthesia, allowing them to visualize sounds. Traveling through Kandinsky's theories to experience art beyond the frame with a full synesthetic experience of the painting. This project was part of the winning projects of the creative solutions program and was created by Jumanah Saklou and her team after being inspired by Kandinsky’s unique condition.
In this interview, we learn more about the “Sensing beyond the frame” project, and her experience in the design field.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
In the beginning, I would describe myself as a designer driven by the love of art and of creation, who sees beyond the surface of things and delves into the depths of the human experience. My educational and professional journey in graphic design has allowed me to nurture my natural curiosity in harnessing my creativity as I strive to craft unique and captivating designs that communicate with clarity and impact .my artistic spirit is ever evolving inspired by the beauty of nature the elegance of architecture and the power of technology, so I'm driven by my desire to tell stories through my work to evoke emotions.
Your project “sensing beyond the frame” it’s an experience where you take the viewer to live in the shoes of someone who has synesthesia, can you tell us more about your project and the inspiration behind it?
Let me start by defining what synesthesia is…so synesthesia is a new logical condition in which a person experiences more than one sense simultaneously, such as seeing colors and shapes when listening to music. My team Dana, Raghad, and I and we worked on this project “Sensing Beyond the Frame” which is the virtual reality experience that allows the user to experience synesthesia for themselves traveling through Kandinsky’s theories to experience art beyond the frame with a full synesthetic experience of the painting impression theme.
So, the importance of synesthesia lies in the fact that it provides a unique perspective on the world. It sheds light on the workings of the brain and how it processes sensory information. This provides us insight into how we perceive and interpret the world around us differently so by putting the users into the shoes of synesthesia, they can perceive the world in a different view. What we focused on in this experience is the sensory exploration of the world and especially the paintings so they're experiencing a different perception through their senses.
Can the person who has this condition hear sounds when they see paintings?
Yes, this is one of the reasons why we worked on this project because it was one of the facts and information that we learned. A person might hear sounds when they look at a painting or virtual image. There are articles about museum visitors who described Kandinsky's paintings as a full-on musical experience. This experience is of course unique for each individual and can vary greatly, some may hear abstract sounds while others might hear specific musical notes.
What do you wish for people to feel when they experience your project? What impact do you want to leave on the viewer?
We will feel a sense of wonder and awe when they experience “sensing beyond the frame.” The impact that we aim for is for the individuals to acknowledge that the world is not limited to the dimensions of their thought and have the courage to artistically dare and live in the wild imaginations of how others perceive the world.
Tell us about your collaboration with Hakawati Studio.
Our collaboration was an opportunity to bring our vison into life, and they helped us get our project to the next level by incorporating VR into the experience and especially since Abdullah was a cohort himself, that helped us adjust to the process of the developing phase and built it according to the standards of creative solutions.
“Sensing beyond the frame” project. One of the winning projects from the creative solutions program, Courtesy of Jumanah Saklou.
How did your participation with creative solutions impacted your life?
My participation in creative solutions has helped me to further develop my skills as a designer and has allowed me to share my passion for immersive experiences with others. It has also given me the opportunity to collaborate with other artists and designers which has been a valuable learning experience.
What is your motto?
Design has the power to inspire creativity and spark new perspectives. I believe that design has the potential to make a meaningful impact on people’s life, and I strive to use my work to inspire others.
Who are your role models and who inspires you?
One of the artists that have inspired me the most is Wassily Kandinsky. I’m fascinated by his synesthetic experiences and how he transformed them into works of art. I’m also inspired by other artists who push the boundaries of what is possible in design.
What are your next step and feature projects?
My next step includes continuing to explore new and innovative ways to create immersive experiences and expanding my portfolio, where my current project is called “Vivify” and it aims to spark inspiration and creativity through an AR immersive experience in the streets of Al-Khobar. It creates a journey in our streets and surroundings, turning it into a space for finding inspiration.
