9/20 Alphabet Book

So the concept for an alphabet book that I have come up with, is actually not a book at all. My concept is a color wheel. I chose this concept because I associate certain letters (and numbers) with specific colors. For example 3+4 equal brown, 2+3 equal blue, k is pink, l is yellow. When researching the relationship between color and letters I discovered that there is an actual name for those who experience a mixing of senses, and it is a perceptual condition called synesthesia, according to “The Synesthesia Battery” website (written and researched by David M. Eagleman, Arielle D. Kagan, Stephanie S. Nelson, Deepak Sagaram, Anand K. Sarma.) According to Eagleman et al, the most common form of this condition is known as “color synesthesia” and it is as common as 1 in 2000 people. Now I am not claiming to have synethesia or to be a synethete, however I do find an association between color and letters, numbers and even sounds. This association is one that I have probably created along the way through my experiences in life. Typically those with synesthesia can be tested from one year to the next and have a consistent and similar response to color and letter or number. I am fairly confident that only a few of my letters and or numbers would remain consistent.

Another reason I wanted to use a traditional and basic art tool such as the color wheel, is for its shape and what a circle symbolizes to me. This particular wheel symbolizes the collaboration of my images and text with my fellow digi-imaging ladies. This project gives us the opportunity to unify, yet still maintain our own individuality and artistic style. I feel that the color wheel is a great metaphorical and literal translation of our collaboration. That being said, as I am using others’ art, I will place the letter image into the color section that I see that letter closest resembles, regardless of the color that the actual photo and text are presented in. Additionally, the wheel will (homophone intentional) allow our work to be interwoven creating unity without causing hierarchy such as the hierarchy created by our alphabet’s lineality (between the A and the Z).