The Artist with Synesthesia

Vladimir Nabokov: The great Russian-American novelist experienced grapheme-color synesthesia, where words — and particularly vowel sounds — evoke colors.

Shahzad Baloch
The Road to Wellness
2 min readAug 14, 2021

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Photo by Battlecreek Coffee Roasters on Unsplash

I moved to the distinctive school and city when I was 7th lesson. I grasped a portion of things after living over there for two years. At whatever point I travel this range, it contains a smell, that became exceptionally simple to me to recover that certain memory which I have experienced. These memories are connected with this specific smell.

Does this sound like Synesthesia?

What is Synesthesia?

Synesthesia is a neurological trait and condition which links and combines the senses which are normally not connected. One stimulus triggers an involuntary reaction which is involved one or more other senses. For example, someone with synesthesia may hear color or see sound.

Where does synesthesia come from?

The five senses, hearing, sight, touch, taste, and smell function independently as an adult. But in childhood, these five senses are interlinked to each other. As the brain grows, there comes a gene that cuts of all external connections. However, in some cases, the neural remains in the same place because pruning did not complete the dissociation.

Six examples of Celebrated Synesthetes

Individuals who routinely encounter a form of synesthesia are called synesthetes.

Celebrated synesthetes incorporate

  1. Duke Ellington: The iconic jazz composer experienced chromesthesia, a type of synesthesia where musical notes evoke colors.
  2. Franz Liszt: Like Duke Ellington, the Romantic-era Hungarian composer experienced chromesthesia.
  3. Vincent Van Gogh: Van Gogh experienced chromesthesia, which is believed to have influenced his painting.
  4. Vladimir Nabokov: The great Russian-American novelist experienced grapheme-color synesthesia, where words — and particularly vowel sounds — evoke colors.
  5. Arthur Rimbaud: Rimbaud, a French poet in the nineteenth century, experienced grapheme-color synesthesia.
  6. Billie Eilish: Eilish is a contemporary pop star who experiences synesthesia when writing music with her brother Finneas, who is also a synesthete.

Synesthesia in Literature

Synesthesia in literature refers to the author’s blending human senses to describing objects. Phrases like “loud dress” or a “chilly gaze.” The associated senses develop.

Concluded

Synesthesia is a neurological trait and condition which connects and combines the senses which are normally not connected. Consequently, the five senses, hearing, sight, touch, taste and smell work autonomously as we grow up. But in childhood, these five faculties are interlinked to each other. Also, synesthesiaest used synesthesia in literature with different forms by the artist.

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