Have you ever thought about the phrases "yellow-bellied," "green with envy," and "seeing red"? Why do we tend to describe emotions using colors?
Imagine for a moment that everything around you has a designated color: the food you eat, each letter in your favorite book, and when looking at a certain object, you can taste your favorite food. These may sound like superpowers, but in fact, they are all part of a real phenomenon called Synesthesia, experienced by 4% of the world's population (including myself).
Thanks to Synesthesia, I experience the world in colors. At this point, you might be thinking: "Wait, doesn't everyone experience the world through colors? Anyone with healthy sight knows that the sea is blue and the daffodils are white or yellow." True, but for those who experience Synesthesia, everything is colorful: numbers, days, countries, names, tunes, months, people, foods, objects—everything you can think of!
In other words, it’s a condition where information received from different senses gets mixed. In the past, the field of psychology considered it a disorder—how could someone manage their life when their senses become an uncontrollable mix? But as years passed and research on the subject began to emerge, it was understood that the blending of senses can actually be beneficial. For example, when it comes to remembering things! Imagine how easy it is to memorize information when each detail appears in a different and eye-catching color.
My Synesthesia and Me
Until my teenage years, I was sure everyone experienced the world like I did! I thought that everyone sees February as blue. Everyone knows Germany is green and France is brown. Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered the colors speak only to me.
I was even more surprised to find out there are three types of Synesthesia: tastes, sounds, and colors, like mine. For instance, if for me February is blue, for another person experiencing the same condition, February might be green, and for someone with taste Synesthesia, February might taste like an orange or any other fruit, of course.
Over the years, I also discovered it’s hereditary. When I was young, after I had already researched a little about the subject myself, I approached my father and asked if he also has Synesthesia. He looked at me bewildered and asked: "What’s that?" To test the matter, I simply asked him what color the month of June is. When he replied: "sky blue," that was all I needed.
But what does it mean "the month of February is blue"? You can't even see it at all!
True, but just as we can say that the characteristics of February are that it’s short and cold, for me, another characteristic is that it’s blue. As you probably guessed, I have color Synesthesia—it’s also the most common type of Synesthesia.
I know, it sounds bizarre. The truth is, it’s still not entirely clear to researchers either. One study suggests that in our childhood, a partition develops between the right and left sides of the brain, separating the analytical side from the "creative" side. This partition doesn’t develop in certain people, resulting in the blending of senses—Synesthesia.
By the way, I am proud to share this “superpower” with famous individuals like Nikola Tesla, Beyoncé, and even Mozart! Surprising, right?
How Do I Use It?
Throughout life, I’ve discovered that thanks to Synesthesia, I am able to remember combinations and sequences of numbers! For instance, during my bachelor’s degree, I remembered the classroom numbers by the colors of its numbers and not by the numbers themselves. For example, yellow-white-red instead of 312. Each number has its own color, allowing me to organize my thoughts. I found it even more useful when I worked at a bank, and numbers were an integral part of my day from morning to evening.
Additionally, my Synesthesia stays the same between languages. That is, if “February” is blue in English, “Février” will also be blue in French!
Synesthesia and My Art
Colors represent more to me than just their existence as colors. When I look at a color, many associations related to that color flood my mind, including not only emotions (such as love and fear) but also numbers, countries, letters, seasons, and more.
So when I paint and use colors in my art, I’m not just matching the colors themselves but I am also matching every other aspect of those colors. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but for me, behind every color lies an idea, and when the ideas—the colors—merge together, it allows me to reach a certain depth and unique meaning in my art.
Not always are these elements conveyed to those who view my paintings, but they come from within me—from the most personal experience of the world.
For example, let’s go back to the color red. It’s a well-known symbol of love or life, but for me, it’s also the digit 2, the month of July, the letter 'L,' the country of Spain, and even certain people in my life. Suppose I want to add a yellow color next to it, usually symbolizing anxiety or joy, but for me, the color yellow is also the digit 3 and the city of Be'er Sheva for some reason. In practice, there’s no conceptual connection between the colors, and I would probably look for another color instead of yellow that would blend more harmoniously and correctly with everything that the color red symbolizes for me.
Creation from within
The human brain is a wonderful machine, and even when it experiences such "malfunctions," they can be channeled to our advantage. There’s no doubt that at first glance, Synesthesia might indeed seem almost out of this world—I too initially thought it was a problem.
But as I grew older, I learned to appreciate the blessing I received. The unique gift that shows me the world in the most natural yet abstract way. A gift I use not only in art but in every aspect of my life.
I invite you to look at the world a bit differently, and even more at yourselves. Harness those "oddities" and turn them into what makes you unique, what makes you who you are. Once you embrace these traits, you’ll find they can be beneficial and bring about good.
And a little quiz to wrap it all up, let’s see if you can understand me ;)
Here are two images. Click on the one I define as clearly synesthetic in my creative process:
Opmerkingen