Max Kropitz

Artificial Synesthesia

2010-04-20T11:31:00.000-07:00

"For the world to be interesting, you have to be manipulating it all the time." -Brian Eno

Most people take their senses, and how they perceive the world every day, for granted. It does not occur to them what it would be like not to see, hear, smell, taste or feel - even for a day. I myself don't have a sense of smell and my eyesight is not very good. I have always been aware of this and have learned to adapt - which often requires conscious thought and decision.

Due to my own sensory inadequacies I have taken an interest in Synesthesia - a neurological condition that causes the senses to overlap and mingle. One might see colour when hearing music or associate a taste with each and everything that is seen or heard.

On top of this, Synesthesia is up to eight times more common in creative people. One thing all creatives have in common is the ability to engage in abstract thinking more than others. It comes to them naturally since they have learned to make sensory connections that others wouldn't even dream of.

I have come to understand Synesthesia as a form of enhanced sensory perception. If I was a stage below all those with all senses intact, Synaesthetes would be one stage higher.

In order to harness the potential of this condition, I have attempted to create an artificial form of Synesthesia, allowing 'regular' people to experience new sensory possibilities, which will then, hopefully, result in a heightened ability to engage in abstract thinking. This is highly speculative.

I have built a series of helmets that manipulate the senses purely through form and without the use of electronics. They either block, amplify, direct or combine these properties in order to create unusual and new sensory impressions. I have always liked simple mechanics and therefore decided to create helmets that rely mainly on their form. The shape of the helmet should suggest its function to the point where the user can imagine its effect without actually having to wear it.

Vision is blocked completely. Sound is amplified from the front.

Vision is restricted to the sides and below. All sound from above and the front is amplified.

Sound is amplified from the front but blocked from all other sides. Vision is restricted below.

Vision, smell and hearing are restricted to a single point or 'window', however the head can be moved freely.

The right ear is blocked, the right eye remains normal, the left eye is blocked and the left ear is amplified. Smell is blocked completely.

All hearing is amplified and directed to the back whereas vision and smell remain normal.

Vision, hearing and smell are focused and directed to a single point about one meter from the face.

Smiths Magazine//Issue II

2010-03-02T16:44:00.000-08:00

Layout:

Zahra Shahabi

Max Kropitz

Contextual Report

2010-01-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

This is the context report for my final year project. I wanted to avoid binding a book from the beginning and since I've been making posters all year, I figured I'll just keep going. (Pictures will be updated soon.)

Printed on coloured A2 sheets of sugar paper, folded to A6 and delivered in Kraft envelopes.

If you would like to read it, you can download a PDF version here: Context Report

First Term

2009-12-07T11:31:00.000-08:00

We are currently having presentations about this term's work and how we plan to take it further. Mentors for the next two terms will also be selected according to these presentations.

1. Visuals Booklet 01
2. Debate Week Booklet
3. Object/Fiction
4. Synesthetic Phone Book
5. Synesthesia Posters
6. Conversation Mapping Booklet
7. Space Debris Poster
8. "Imagine You Couldn't" Stop Motion Booklet
9. Briefing Document
10. Briefing - Revisited

Drawing Week

2009-12-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

The result of a week's drawing workshop - a visual exploration booklet.

Eike König

2009-11-30T02:53:00.000-08:00

An interview with Eike König from Hort.

Eike Koenig from Hort from Leonardo Mercado on Vimeo.

Imagine You Couldn't

2009-11-27T15:27:00.000-08:00

My first attempt at stop motion. The result of a week's film workshop at Goldsmiths.

Imagine You Couldn't from Max Kropitz on Vimeo.

Flyer

2009-11-12T11:46:00.001-08:00

I made a flyer for the Smiths Bash at the Goldsmiths SU on the 20/11, quite literally.

C41

2009-11-05T16:39:00.000-08:00

I finally bought C41 chemistry again and developed some of my long overdue film stock.

Clemens Kogler - Le Grand Content

2009-11-01T09:54:00.001-08:00

Le Grand Content from kryz. on Vimeo.

Space Junk

2009-10-22T18:41:00.000-07:00

A map outlining the current situation with man-made space debris orbiting Earth.

Halloween

2009-10-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

I designed a poster for a Halloween party for the first time. Also, the party is in Poland. I don't speak Polish. Its interesting to do layouts without fully understanding the content.

Website

2009-10-20T13:30:00.001-07:00

I set up a new photography website over at Cargo Collective.

http://cargocollective.com/mkropitz/

Update: Now also http://www.maxkropitz.com

Conversation Mapping

2009-10-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on the two first briefs of the final year of my course.

Today I started a brief concerning the blurring boundaries between humans and technology. I decided to concentrate on instant messaging and how it slowly erodes conversation culture on a whole. The first poster I made is a visual representation of an IM conversation, not showing any text or dialogue and therefore concentrating on the intensity and merging of opinions.

This poster shows a real IM transcript between me and Nic Persinger.