Feb

Artistic Expression in Search of a Dream

by Meredith Mullins on February 20, 2014

four images of America with streets named Martin Luther King, artistic expression by Susan Berger on a photographic journey (© Susan Berger)

A look at images of America: What is the common thread in these photographs?
© Susan Berger

A Photographic Journey Captures Images of America

What do you see in the four photographs above?

There may be several “Oh, I see” moments as you study these images—responses and emotions affected by who you are and what personal experience you bring to the conversation.

Different stories will unfold.

However, there is a common thread. Can you find it?

Meredith Mullins Comments

The World's Photography/USA

Feb

The Colorful Life of a Human Cyborg

by Meredith Mullins on February 6, 2014

Neil Harbisson, a human cyborg, wearing a head device which expands his senses for creative expression (Photo © Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin)

Neil Harbisson, cyborg and artist, changing the world of senses.
© Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin

Neil Harbisson: Expanding the Boundaries of Creative Expression

He can hear a Picasso painting.

He can paint a Mozart serenade.

He stands for hours in a supermarket aisle listening to a symphony of rainbow-colored cleaning bottles.

He composes music from faces.

This is Neil Harbisson, human cyborg. His senses defy tradition. His creative expression is unique.

He was born to a colorless world, where, in his words, “the sky is always gray and television is still in black and white.”

But, because he believes that everyone should wish to perceive what they can’t perceive, he was driven to extend his sensory perception.

He wears a cybernetic eye—an “eyeborg”—that translates colors into sounds on a musical scale (and vice versa). Pretty cool.

His “Oh, I see moments” become “Oh, I hear moments” . . . and beyond.

black and white landscape, showing that lack of color is a challenge for creative expression (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

A world without vibrant blue sky and a hundred shades of spring green
© Meredith Mullins

A World in Black and White and Shades of Gray

What would it be like to spend your life seeing only black and white and a range of gray tones—to never know the blueness of an open sky or the multitude of greens that emerge as trees come alive in spring?

color landscape, showing inspiration for creative expression (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

A new world
© Meredith Mullins

Neil was born with a rare color vision disorder that creates a gray-scale world. At first his parents thought he was just confused by the names of colors. Doctors thought he was colorblind. His classmates teased him when his socks didn’t match.

At age 11, he was officially diagnosed with achromatopsia. He could not see color at all.

The Eyeborg

Over time, he tried to make sense of color— to associate colors with people. For example, when someone talked about the color blue, he thought of a friend who was very brainy. He created his own world.

When he went on to study music in college, fate introduced him to cybernetics expert Adam Montandon. The result was a collaborative invention—the “eyeborg”— that would enable Neil to hear color.

Neil Harbisson , a human cyborg, using the eyeborg to translate the color orange into a sound so he can use his senses for creative expression (Photo © Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin)

The eyeborg translates “orange” into a musical note.
© Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin

The eyeborg translates light waves (colors) into sound waves, by linking each color to a note or frequency on the musical scale. A camera mounted on Neil’s head scans the colors in front of him and transmits the sound through a chip in the back of his head.

He had to memorize the names of colors and the frequencies associated with each hue, but eventually that became subliminal.

“When I started to dream in color, I felt the software and my brain had united,” he explains. “That’s when I called myself a cyborg.”

He grew more and more comfortable wearing the device on his head. He wore it everywhere—to sleep . . . and even in the shower.

Colorful cleaning products on a grocery shelf, illustrating how Neil Harbisson, a human cyborg standing nearby, will hear a symphony of sounds via his eyeborg. (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

As Harbisson says, “In the supermarket, the cleaning product aisle becomes a symphony.”
© Meredith Mullins

And, finally, he appeared on his passport photo complete with his headgear (after a battle with the British authorities, who don’t allow official photographs with electronic equipment). Neil convinced them that the eyeborg was a part of his body.

As advanced as the eyeborg is, Neil still has to plug himself in periodically to charge his antenna through a USB port at the back of his head. He looks forward to the day when he doesn’t have to depend on electricity. He hopes to use his own blood circulation to keep the device charged.

Neil Harbisson, a human cyborg, plugged into wall, recharging the device that expands his senses for creative expression (Photo © Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin)

Time out for recharging
© Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin

Exploring Creative Frontiers

In a world of science fiction, robotic prowess, and Google Glass, Neil is an unexpected hero. He uses his new perceptions as creative power, breaking boundaries between sound and sight, art and science.

He is the ultimate listener—listening to art, his environment, and the people he meets.

“The way I perceive beauty has changed,” he admits. “When I look at someone, I hear their face. Someone might look beautiful but sound terrible.”

His taste in art has changed. Certain painters, like Rothko and Miró, produce very clear notes. Others produce clashing chords because of the colors they use.

He performs in concerts by playing the colors of the audience. He preempts review with this caveat, “The good thing about this is that if the concert doesn’t sound good it’s their fault, not my fault.”

He creates sound portraits, so that people can “hear” their faces. He’s also working on a sound portrait of Venice, with other cities to come.

Then, in a creative reversal of fortunes, he turns musical notes or frequencies into visual art. He paints Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven, and Rachmaninov and creates visual impressions of famous speeches.

Neil Harbisson's painting of Mozart's Queen of the Night, creative expression inspired by hearing color. (Image © Neil Harbisson)

A sonochromatic painting of Mozart’s Queen of the Night
© Neil Harbisson

A Cyborg Gathers No Moss

Neil continues to push the boundaries with his work. Regular human color vision includes the visible spectrum of light. But, that’s not enough for a cyborg.

He has added both infrared and ultraviolet light to his audible wavelengths, giving him the advantage of being able to detect motion sensors and of knowing when it’s safe to sunbathe.

Neil Harbisson, a human cyborg, wearing yellow, an inspiration of creative expression (Photo © Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin)

Neil used to dress to look good. Now he dresses to “sound” good.
© Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin

He has also created the Cyborg Foundation to help humans become cyborgs, to promote the use of cybernetics as part of the human body, and to defend cyborg rights.

“Life will be much more exciting when we stop creating applications for mobile phones and start creating them for our body,” Neil says.

Spoken like a true cyborg . . . and an artist who understands the value of extending the senses for unparalleled creative expression.

Photographs courtesy of The Cyborg Foundation and Dan Wilton/Red Bulletin.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 4 Comments

Innovations/The World's Art & Design/The World's Music

Jan

Live Life to the Fullest with Fine Feathered Friends

by Meredith Mullins on January 30, 2014

Birder with binoculars, trying to live life to the fullest with the bird a day challenge (Photo © Meredith Mullins)

Staying focused on the Bird-a-Day Challenge
© Meredith Mullins

A Bird-a-Day Makes for Challenging Play

Swampies. Rumpies. Sharpies.

Sound enticing? Well, yes, in a way. But what are we talking about?

Is it a secret code? Adventure apparel from Banana Republic? Characters in a new video game?

Welcome to the wonderful world of birding. We’re talking about Swamp Sparrows (swampies), Yellow-rumped Warblers (rumpies), and Sharp-shinned Hawks (sharpies).

And when it comes to birders, we’re talking about an international community bound by a passion for the beauty, the personalities and patterns, and the sweet songs and operatic trills of our bird friends.

A way to live life to the fullest.

The hooded merganser, a bird that inspires birders to live life to the fullest as they participate in the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

The Hooded Merganser goes punk.
© Mark Catesby

Notorious List Makers

Birders are generous in sharing information about sightings and are notorious for making lists. Backyard lists, county lists, state lists, year lists, life lists.

For many, the ultimate goal is the Bird-a-Day Challenge—spotting a new species of bird every day of the year.

The yearly challenge was started by Massachusetts birder Tom Wetmore. Florida birder Trey Mitchell offers backbone to the program by providing a website where participants track their findings.

There is no official prize. The challenge is personal.

blue bird in a tree, the indigo bunting, a reason for birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (© Mark Catesby)

The Indigo Bunting, a little touch of sky on Day #162 for Mark Catesby
© Mark Catesby

“It gets you outside every day,” said Mark Catesby, one of the four birders to complete the challenge in 2013. “And you meet really interesting people, including a new side to yourself.”

Trey Mitchell concurs. “I call birding my ‘therapy.’ It’s much cheaper to get out and bird than to see a therapist. Also, anywhere you go, if you’re a birder and see another birder out in the field, you typically have found a new birder friend. It’s like a family.”

A white ibis, with long bill, inspiring birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (© Mark Catesby)

Seeing double with a White Ibis, on Day #208 for Mark Catesby
© Mark Catesby

The Honor System

There is no director, judge, or jury for this challenge. It’s self monitoring—an honor system. But there are a few guidelines.

You have to spot the bird on the day you record it. You can’t repeat the same bird or skip a day. Your bird can’t be in a cage or on television. And it can’t be a chicken. That’s about it. The rest is up to you.

Yellow bird, the American Goldfinch, inspiring birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

Five Strategies for Bird-a-Day (and Life)

Those who have made it through all 365 days will tell you that it’s about knowledge, spotting techniques, persistence, patience, and luck. But they will also say that strategy is paramount.

Here are five strategies, which also provide a good guide for living a full life.

1. Understand the rhythms of nature.

In the bird-a-day world, that means understanding the movement of birds (e.g., when the wintering birds move north, when spring migration is coming, why certain habitats attract certain species, and how that changes with the seasons).

2. Stay in tune. Keep up with current news.

Use every possible resource to stay up-to-date on where the birds are. Take advantage of e-bird alerts, Audubon Society newsletters, and sighting websites in your community.

The violet-headed hummingbird, inspiring birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

3. See the world.

Traveling is always eye-opening. And when you’re searching for new bird species, different locations open up a whole new section in your bird guide.

4. Save for a rainy day.

In life, saving for a rainy day is a good idea—to provide a contingency for the unexpected.

In the bird-a-day world, the same strategy is important—having birds in your back pocket. Birders call them “safety birds” or “pocket birds.” These are birds you see every day. The trick is to save them until you really need them. Seek the rare treasures first.

A red cardinal inspires birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

5. Make your own rules when necessary.

When the going gets tough, allow yourself some interpretive freedom. For example,

“If it shows up at a bird feeder, it’s a bird.”

“Females may be considered a different species than males (for sure!)”

“Day can be defined as a 24-hour period anywhere in the world.”

These suggestions were offered by a helpful family member of Mark Catesby. It should be noted that he completed the challenge without taking advantage of these creative interpretations.

Fiery-billed aracari, with its long red beak, inspiring birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

Resplendence

Even with technique and sound strategy, there are still a few birds that are elusive. Some people call them “jinx birds” (if your friends have seen them but you haven’t). And, in some cases, the bird is so rare, or endangered, that it’s difficult to find.

Mark Catesby (and siblings) went to Costa Rica in November to keep the momentum going in the bird-a-day challenge.

Birding group in Costa Rica, inspired to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (© Mark Catesby)

Mark added several unusual species, but the Resplendent Quetzal, considered by many as one of the world’s most beautiful birds, remained a phantom.

“I can’t promise that we can find it,” said local guide Ersel Aguilar. But all held out hope.

Colorful resplendent quetzal, inspiring birders to live life to the fullest with the bird-a-day challenge (Photo © Mark Catesby)

Then, on the last day of the visit, a call came that the Quetzal had been seen 50 miles away. With mission-critical focus, the group sped to the spot.

The Quetzal was waiting . . . and was, as its name promised, resplendent.

But, then, so were the other 364 birds that Mark recorded in 2013.

Oh, I see.

Resplendence comes in many forms.