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Synesthesia
Click on a painting below to start the exhibition
Evening SongTerese RogersEvening Song Alpine SymphonyTerese RogersAlpine Symphony How Much is that Doggie in the WindowJay DavenportHow Much is that Doggie in the Window
All Lit UpStuart DunkelAll Lit Up George and GraceAnthony WaichulisGeorge and Grace Ladies RockBrian O'NeillLadies Rock
Venus, the Bringer of PeaceEdward DillonVenus, the Bringer of Peace Bright EyesAnthony WaichulisBright Eyes Classic LeisuresBrandon D. DrakeClassic Leisures
TimeKevin A. MooreTime ImagineSharon HouriganImagine Saborsa MusicaDomingo Antonio RosarioSaborsa Musica
A Fond FarewellAlex JoveA Fond Farewell Take the A TrainMichael J. EvanTake the A Train Sweet MelodyWelinton LopezSweet Melody
The Joy of PlayinThomas MartinThe Joy of Playin CarraBarbara FoxCarra Atrapata Por La MusicaAna Luisa de la CruzAtrapata Por La Musica
Sueno y Canto Para, TiVictor ChavezSueno y Canto Para, Ti Fly Me to the MoonBarbara FoxFly Me to the Moon InvincibleDeborah LloydInvincible
CuriosityCarolin FernandezCuriosity InigualableBerlyn Reyes GonzalesInigualable By Decree of CamelotElizardo MojicaBy Decree of Camelot
Mind Over MusicPatricia Díaz Mind Over Music Brilliant SoundFraelo LantiguaBrilliant Sound The Heart of Sound
Rob BlizzardThe Heart of Sound
SheenaElena GreenSheena's Gold All the Young DudesChelsea HerronAll the Young Dudes Little ThingsBailey PiechotaLittle Things
The Threads of DiscordVictoria SteelThe Threads of Discord Swan SongAshley KostakSwan Song White Queen (As it Began)Phil KiddWhite Queen (As it Began)
Love NotesCanita RuanLove Notes A Tout le MondeDaniel ChristianA Tout le Monde StarTimothy W. JahnStar
Chamber Music (En Meines Herzens)Stephen SebaldChamber Music (En Meines Herzens) IncunabulumAndrew CovingtonIncunabulum Through a Pane of GlassLeah WaichulisThrough a Pane of Glass
Mi Cuba Linda, SiOmar Rodriguez Jr.Mi Cuba Linda, Si Waiting for Alice
Andrea BillsWaiting for Alice Excess of ItLynne GarlickExcess of It
Grand FinaleRoneidy BonillaGrand Finale    

The fourth collaboration between Rehs Contemporary and the Ani Art Academies takes its title from the fascinating sensory phenomenon known as Synesthesia.  Synesthesia is the term used to characterize a "togetherness of sensation" (as the Greek derivation of the term indicates). More commonly, it is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one sense simultaneously produces a sensation in another. Synesthetes (individuals experiencing synesthesia) can be said to hear colors, feel sounds and taste shapes.

Current estimates regarding the number of individuals that experience some form of synesthesia ranges significantly, from rarer than one in 20,000 to as prevalent as one in 200.  Of the various manifestations of synesthesia, the most common form-- grapheme-color synesthesia ---involves the perception of achromatic letters, digits, and words in unique colors.

Another form of this perplexing sensory phenomenon, and the inspiration for this exhibit, is chromesthesia (sound-to-color synesthesia.)  These synesthetes experience perceptions of color when specific auditory sensations are triggered. Individuals that perceive color while listening to music experience the colors in addition to the normal auditory sensations that would be triggered in the average person.

The neural mechanisms by which synesthetic sensations occur remains somewhat of a mystery. One possibility is that synesthesia might arise from some kind of anomalous cross-wiring between brain areas that are normally segregated in nonsynesthetic individuals. For grapheme-color synesthesia, there may be cross-wiring between digit and letter processing areas and color processing areas in the visual cortex, which occupy neighboring regions of the human brain.

This year, the artists of the Ani Art Academies chose to explore this idea of the influence of one sensory modality on another. As such, each skillfully created work in this unique showcase was inspired by the experience of music.  Come and see how a family of skilled visual artists aim to bridge the senses to offer an insight seldom experienced.

Our goal at Rehs Contemporary is to always celebrate the brilliant, the talented, and the dedicated artists of our time who demonstrate superior technical skills. In conjunction with the ever-growing Ani Art Academies, who have expanded their foothold from the flagship studio in Pennsylvania, to the Caribbean Islands to East Asia, we are able to present a remarkable and diverse body of work drawing inspiration from various countries, cultures and centuries. We hope you enjoy our exhibition, Synesthesia.