Sam- Artist Statment

Artist Statement

    My experience during the sound bath at the integration was the inspiration for my installation piece. The sound bath meditation was a powerful experience for the entire class, it proved to be not only be an auditory experience, but one we could experience with multiple senses. After the meditation I became fascinated with the idea that an auditory experience such as the sound bath could lead to visualizations. As we concluded the sound bath, all members of the class has some experience of sight, whether they were seeing various colors, shapes, or patterns. One scientific concept that inspired my work is the phenomenon known as ‘synesthisia’, this is an ability that  a small percentage of people possess in which the boundaries between our senses break down. For example, certain sounds can evoke color visualizations or a touch can evoke a particular taste. The sound bath provided was such an intense stimulation for the auditory sense that it blurred the boundaries between our own senses and lead us all to experience a form of synesthesia.
    I also became interested in the significance of the various colors the class reported seeing during the meditation. According to eastern healing, each color one sees during a meditation corresponds to a different chakra or energy center in the body. Therefore, the color seen during meditation represents the chakra that is healing itself and becoming renewed. In this view, the sound bath can be seen as a healing experience in which the frequencies of the sound vibrations can alter our energy states and therefore affect our emotional, mental, and spiritual condition.
    Upon my initial research I was inspired by contemporary scientific studies on the affect of meditation on the brain. I was curious as to what processes were occurring in the brain during the sound bath meditation that allowed for our visualizations to occur. fMRI scans have allowed scientists to develop a greater understanding of brain function in a meditative state. During meditation, scientists discovered a decrease in beta waves, and a great slowing down in the frontal cortex and other areas of the brain, indicating that the brain is processing information. Scientific studies have shown that meditation increases our focus, creativity, and memory while lowering our anxiety and stress levels.
    I see the intersection of art and science in my piece through my visual representation of the multiple sensory experience we had at the sound bath. Using the audio I recorded at the sound bath I am attempting to re-create the meditation experience by having the class look at my own visual interpretations of the sounds. For my installation I am using both the scientific principles of sound vibration and frequency in conjunction with my personal visual representation of the sounds. With the viewer’s willingness I intend for my installation to transport others into the mindset of the sound bath, allowing them to focus on the sound and accompanying visuals I have created.