“Each color lives by its mysterious life. … The sound of colors is so definite that it would be hard to find anyone who would express bright yellow with base notes, or dark lake with the treble. The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.” Wassily Kadinsky
The Art of Autism Color of Sound exhibition will be at Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) April 17 – July 11, 2021
Curated by regional nonprofit The Art of Autism, Color of Sound features 14 artists who are on the autism spectrum. This first exhibition of its kind in a Southern California museum brings a growing awareness to this underserved and under-appreciated community.
This unique show features synesthesia-themed art inspired by music. Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense is simultaneously and spontaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses. Sometimes synesthetes join objects such as letters, shapes, numbers, or people’s names with a sensory perception such as smell, color, or sounds. The bright artwork on the second floor of OMA seems to be dancing off the walls to imagined music.
Thank you Joel Anderson for creating this video of the exhibit.
Videos of synesthetes are featured in the gallery, providing insight into their perception of the world and a demonstration of their processes. The exhibition includes work in paint, woven tapestry, and digital format created by Southern California artists:
Autism is a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental differences characterized by social and communication challenges, repetitive behaviors, sensory issues and unique strengths and differences. Autism is a life-long condition that affects more than one percent of the population. Among those diagnosed, about 10 percent may exhibit exceptional abilities or savant skills. Approximately one-third of people on the autism spectrum are non-speaking, including three of the artists in Color of Sound.
This exhibition is produced in collaboration with The Art of Autism, a San Diego County-based nonprofit made up of talented individuals who have come together to display the creative abilities of people on the autism spectrum and others who are neurodivergent. Their mission is to provide a forum to connect with those who wish to employ these abilities. OMA is grateful to Signature Sponsors Terri Peterson Zimdars and Pour House, and exhibition partner Mainly Mozart.
As of April 1, OMA is welcoming visitors in limited capacity and with COVID protocols in place. Located at 704 Pier View Way, in the center of one of California’s first 14 designated cultural districts, OMA is open to the public Thursday through Saturday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm and on Sunday 12:00pm through 4:00pm. Members enjoy exclusive admission from 11:00am until 12:00pm Thursday through Sunday. Admission tickets must be reserved in advance for members and visitors by visiting www.oma-online.org/open. Color of Sound will be on view April 17 through July 11.
Image Gallery
Participating artists in this exhibition are
Joel Anderson
Dane Capo
Kaedyn Carmon
Sydney Edmond
Parker Franco
Kevin Hosseini
Austin John Jones
Brendan Kerr
Nicholas Kontaxis
Alex Nichols
Carissa Moderno Paccerelli
Jeremy Sicile-Kira
Clark Warren
Syance Wilson
Cover image: Nicholas Kontaxis “Corn on the Cob”