Seeing Synesthesia, A Sound Painting

JAmes Francies x Ben Heim

Seeing Synesthesia is a collaboration between acclaimed jazz pianist James Francies, and audiovisual artist Ben Heim. The work explores the phenomenon of synesthesia, as experience by Francies who sees colour when he hears music. The collaboration evolved by the two artists getting together to record a real time improvisation using an audio painting simulation developed by Heim. The colours of Francies synesthesia were then mapped to this simulation to produce a sound painting that serves as a visual representation of what goes on in Francies head as he experiences and performs music.