“THE COLOURFUL SONGS”
LOUKIANOS KILAIDONIS presents the visual arts exhibition
“THE COLOURFUL SONGS”
An exhibition and study on the relation between sound and colour.
A story that originates many years ago and has stimulated musicians, painters and architects. As Kandinsky says: “The eye can listen and the ear can see”.
THE COLORFUL SONGS – How it all started – Its history
It all started from the phenomenon called synaesthesia. Synaesthesia is what we call the rare neurological state in which a healthy man feels two or more senses at the same time. A stimulant, which arouses a specific sense, unintentionally arouses another one as well. In simple words, if you think the rightangled triangle you designed to prove the Pythagorean Theory is a bit “salty”, then you are probably synaesthetic (much more interesting than being sentimental).
Music Chromatic synaesthesia
Correspondence of the tone hights (i.e. Do, Re) with specific colours. Not all music-chromatic synaesthetics see the same colours (i.e. Messian’s Re colour is different from that of Scriabin’s). I felt the phenomenon, yet I didnt know its name, neither that this happened to other people as well. I discovered it while working, when I was writing “I am a poor and lonely cowboy”, my own lyrics and music (this is important), when, besides every finished song I would place a colour and then say – I am missing a pink song – I am missing a yellow one.
The colour I mention has to do with the whole of the song (lyrics-music) and has no notional relation with the content of the lyrics. Mostly it has to do with its music. So I could see colours in the music of the songs (Purple, blue, orange, etc.). At one point I felt the need to do the same thing with the notes. But I didnt want a subjective correspondence of note and colour (like is the case of Alexander Scriabin).
I wanted an objective correspondence, which would be based on the laws of physics. I was sure that there is a relation between the frequencies of sound, with the wavelength of colour. I searched through it as much as I could, with information I asked from friends. A musician (sound) and a light coordinator (colour). We are in 2001. Later I realized I was very close to what had been set out by Pythagoras and the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, and most recently by Madam Helena Blavatsky (around 1850).
This is how it all started; I said, as notes have colours, I will put them in order, and make jewelry that will be songs. So I searched for beads that would have the same shape with the keys of a piano (rectangular). With a lot of determination, I managed their improvement, in shape and colour, so they would be very close to what I was asking for (specific colours based on the Pantone colour scale – specially designed for this project). After I had succeeded and had the amount which would make me feel sure, I could try whatever popped into my head, I started the application on the colour songs (The first one. I am now sure there are thousands). So the matter is: The colourful songs are a brave step ahead.
Thoughts and mottos – Written during work (March 2009 – June 2010)
This story with the notes and the colours, has only a beginning!
It is a tool, for decoding conjectural messages. (Sent to us from these great creators, without them even knowing). The message came and the code is this.
It is an anthology, based on conjectural criteria and wrapped-up conditions.
I have the land. I have the underground. I am missing the metal detector (Gkino are you listening?).
The third dimension in song.
I did what your stupid machines didnt do. With a lot of work. Spending a lot of time. (Dimitri K., Vasilis G.).
Others work with meters others with centimeters others with millimeters I work with decimeters.
I am tired of counting: beads pipes Plexiglass. Its ok! Have mercy! Again.
After one point, work alone guided me. It was like it was showing me the way. I made the start, then it took me by the hand and led me to the end.
Nothing (but nothing) was as simple as it seems! (and this is how it had to be).
What people will find out through the colourful songs, is that music is one, but it has colours. And many of them.
The hidden harmony is the best Heraclitus.
With the colourful songs I became wiser! (At least that). I became wiser!
I was very lucky with my collaborators.
What I did is unique. You cannot write the same song twice.
My friend, you are not getting a jewel you are getting a tool!
Plexiglass: the material of dreams Shakespeare says: we are made of the material that dreams are made of. He is right!
Finally, as I realized tonight, seeing the first wrappings of the jewelry, the packaging reminds me of a perfume bottles (A lot of glass – a little bit of perfume).
Exhibition is one thing commerce is another.
With silicone you can think about it again. With epoxic you cant!
What I did, I did it gropingly.
The materials are 30 the immaterial?
Three components that played an important part in this project: Stubbornness luck Instinct.
