Psychological analysis of synaesthesia in the process of artistic practice

Keywords: subject (person); Articles (works of art); Artistic practice; Synaesthesia; psychoanalysis

Abstract: In artistic practice, there are often psychological phenomena of sensory borrowing and sensory communication, which are collectively called synaesthesia in artistic psychology. When people create and appreciate works of art, it is impossible to talk about the matter, but to arouse more experiences through works of art, which is similar to what the subject obtained in advance and aroused by the object, making the subject realize what the artist wants to achieve in the works but has not expressed. This is the artistic conception of artistic works (also called independent creation). This paper analyzes the formation of synaesthesia from the perspective of artistic psychology, aiming to let more people know the role of synaesthesia in artistic practice, which is conducive to the improvement of the subject's artistic accomplishment.

In artistic practice, we often encounter a phenomenon, such as the temperature sense of the color of the picture when appreciating artistic works; Appreciating music and literary works is the visual sense in brain images; For example, when we praise the singer, we often say "this person sings so sweetly" and so on. These sensory conversion phenomena are called synaesthesia phenomena in artistic psychology, that is, the intercommunication of human senses in artistic practice. Synaesthesia has existed for a long time in the process of artistic practice. For example, during the reign of Rome, the Greek writer Plutarch and the famous writer and painter Su Shi in the Northern Song Dynasty all had this discussion. For example, they argued that "poetry is a picture with sound, while painting is a silent poem". This paper does not intend to make textual research from the perspective of historical genesis, but to do some psychological analysis on the psychological process of this synaesthesia phenomenon in artistic practice and its application in artistic appreciation, so as to better help students understand and feel artistic works in art teaching.

The meaning of the word synaesthesia refers to the subject (person) in art psychology. The phenomenon of sensory borrowing and sensory communication in the process of emotional observation of media (artistic products) is a process in which all senses creatively understand artistic works through empathy. It was put forward by Mr. Qian Zhongshu, a famous contemporary scholar and writer in China, after summarizing the phenomenon of sensory borrowing that often appeared in artistic practice in the early 1960s, and standardized the connotation of this phenomenon from the perspective of artistic psychology, so as to facilitate people's understanding and understanding of this issue.

The word synaesthesia first appeared in the analysis of the characteristics of Tang poetry creation, and now it has become one of the six manifestations of the language art of Tang poetry (scattered words to see the whole, intertextuality to see the meaning, referential relationship, flexible translation, synaesthesia, plain words to see the strange). Because art has the characteristics of * * * (both for the purpose of expressing image and emotion), synaesthesia exists not only in literature and art, but also in other kinds of art. Let's analyze the psychological factors, formation process and application of synaesthesia in art appreciation practice from the perspective of art psychology.

Psychological basis and premise of synaesthesia.

1, aesthetic demand

Art appreciation practice is a process in which the subject acts on the object media. The relationship between them is dialectical, but it is the subject that dominates. We know that in social life, people not only pursue material satisfaction, but also pursue spiritual satisfaction and beautiful things, and feel a kind of spiritual pleasure and interest that cannot be replaced by material from beautiful things. This pursuit is based on people's aesthetic needs, and artistic practice can only be carried out when the subject needs beauty. Therefore, from the perspective of art psychology, aesthetic demand is the psychological basis of art appreciation practice and synaesthesia.

2. Storage of brain information

The storage of brain information is a prerequisite for synaesthesia. The storage of information in the brain is not a link of synaesthesia, but a preparatory process, which mainly obtains a large amount of information from external things through various sensory organs of the subject and stores it in the brain. Only when the subject stores a variety of information in his brain can he produce synaesthesia effect on the works of art in the practice of art appreciation, so that the subject can better understand and recognize the works of art. If the information stored in our brain is too little or too single, it will be difficult to produce synaesthesia in our brain, so that we can't understand the works of art well.

For example, when we appreciate Wang Shikuo's painting "Bloody Coat", if we store a lot of information about the work in the early stage, it is easy to use this information to arouse the synaesthesia of the work in the brain and produce a * * * sound with the painter. From the scene where the working people turn over and fight the landlords with bullies, we can see the vivid images of the people shouting their anger. The paralyzed young people in the foreground, the weak old people holding the deed of selling their bodies, the women holding bloody clothes and the children crying on their mothers' thighs in the picture, and the angry and denounced people deeply stimulate our sight. At this time, the information about similar plots in the brain will be aroused with the further appreciation of the picture. At the same time, the brain uses these stored information to make various sensory synaesthesia works. We seem to see the tragic experience of Xi 'er in the movie "White-haired Girl" and the image of a poor farmer struggling to die in the sculpture "Rent House" (visually); I seem to have heard the accusation (audibly) against the evil old society expressed in the painful, bitter and indignant melodies such as the Erhu opera Jianghu.

This way of perceiving works of art through sensory transmission can help the subject to understand and know the media more deeply, from perceptual knowledge of works of art (surface layer) to rational knowledge (inner layer), which is also the function of synaesthesia. Therefore, it is very important for the brain to store information through various senses in the early stage, which determines the occurrence of synaesthesia.

It should be noted here that the subject's brain should obtain information extensively and comprehensively and store it in the form of memory. We should not only acquire information through conscious memory, but also pay attention to the acquisition of information by unconscious memory. Conscious memory mainly refers to the way of consciously obtaining information under the control of the brain. Such as: our acquisition of book knowledge, purposeful understanding and understanding of things, etc. ; Unconscious memory refers to the way to obtain information that is not controlled by the brain. Such as: unexpected events in life and various experiences and experiences. Comparatively speaking, the former mnemonic method is more systematic and standardized in obtaining information, and it is purposeful. However, due to its weak stimulation to the cerebral cortex and low memory intensity, this memory method often appears repetitive in the process of brain memory, otherwise, this initially obtained information will gradually disappear with the passage of time. For example, this phenomenon often occurs in our study process. The latter's unconscious memory method is much broader in practical application, and the information obtained is not standardized, systematic and complicated. However, this kind of memory can often leave a deep impression on the brain. This is because unconscious memory stimulates the cerebral cortex strongly and has the characteristics of contingency and suddenness. Otherwise, it is often said that the most memorable thing for a person is the thing that excites him the most. Therefore, the more things that stimulate the cerebral cortex, the deeper the impression left on the brain and the easier it is to remember.

However, these two ways of memory do not exist in isolation, but complement and interact with each other. Unconscious memory often needs rational analysis, induction and summary of conscious memory. Conscious memory also depends on unconscious memory to enrich itself. These two memory ways are the basic ways for the brain to obtain information, and they are also the premise of synaesthesia.

Second, the formation process of synaesthesia phenomenon

From a physiological point of view, it is impossible for subjects to communicate with each other in the practice of art appreciation. For example, you can only listen to music but not watch it, and you can't listen to paintings. But from the perspective of art psychology, this phenomenon of sensory communication can be realized. As mentioned above, color is a visual feeling, but people can generate a sense of touch of temperature from brain images. For another example, music is an auditory feeling, but people can transform from brain images to visual images. The sensory communication here is not real, but the communication in the brain image, which is a black-box operation and invisible to the outside world. The appearance of this phenomenon is the product of human long-term production practice and artistic practice. In the process of natural evolution, in order to adapt to the changes and development of external things, the sensory organs are constantly adjusted under the control of the brain, and the ability to obtain information is strengthened, thus promoting the development of the brain. In the practice of art appreciation, the subject position is the subject, and the human brain plays a major role in the subject, which plays a leading role in the formation of synaesthesia. Let's analyze the various links and functions of synaesthesia from the perspective of art psychology.

Illustration: the psychological process of synaesthesia in art appreciation practice;

[hearing] [image hearing]

[vision] [image vision]

[Touch] [Media: Art Products] [Brain] [Emotional Feeling] [Synaesthesia] [Image Touch]

[sense of smell] [image sense of smell]

[taste] [image taste]

In turn, it helps the theme to be more unrealistic, creative and harmonious.

Understand and understand the media. Ideal sensory images.

As can be seen from the above picture, synaesthesia is a complex psychological process, which is the result of the subject acting on the object. In this process, except for the object media, all other links are the psychological activities of the subject. The process of synaesthesia mainly includes the following links:

(1) The subject's emotional response to the object

This is the primary link of the subject in the practice of art appreciation, and it is also the stage of the subject's perceptual knowledge of the media, which belongs to the surface scope. When the subject has the desire to pursue beautiful things (aesthetic needs), the subject will consciously and actively participate in artistic appreciation practice activities and carry out aesthetic activities on artistic products. (including the beauty of life and art)

In the practice of appreciation, the subject must first perceive the works of art with his senses, that is, the subject's observation of the object media, where the subject and the object are dialectical. The observation activity of the subject is a conscious activity of knowing and perceiving the media, which is related to emotional activities. Because a good work of art contains the artist's emotional experience and aesthetic attitude towards life, the subject should naturally perceive the work of art with emotion when appreciating the work. In addition, the subject has the characteristics of initiative when observing the media, which is manifested in the subject's emotional perception of the media. A good work of art, if the subject doesn't care about the object emotionally, can't really perceive the connotation of the work of art, if the subject only looks at knowledge and listens to it in the activities of observing the media, it will lose the meaning of appreciation. Therefore, only when the subject feels the object with emotion can the practice of art appreciation continue, and the subject can finally realize the leap from perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge and from the surface to the inner layer.

However, in the process of art appreciation, the object media is the subject to be recognized and is in a passive position. But there are also its dynamic factors. This factor is mainly manifested as follows: the artistic works created by artists must first have concrete and sensible images, so that the subject can correctly perceive the content of the works and stimulate the subject's emotional perception of the works. This is also a feature of all excellent works of art. If the content of a work of art is divorced from life and reality, or the artist lacks emotional experience of life and emotional expression of the work, it is impossible to arouse the emotional perception of the subject. Because we can't find this stored information in our brains, we naturally can't feel what the work wants to express. Therefore, a good work of art can arouse the subject's emotion to the media, and it is also conducive to the subject's understanding of the work.

(2) the brain's analysis of information

The analysis of information by the brain is the second link in the formation of synaesthesia. It belongs to the primary stage of rational understanding. At this time, the brain should analyze and classify the information perceived in the previous link and store it as new information. The analysis here mainly refers to the analysis of the theme and genre of works of art (such as modern theme, ancient theme, life theme, love theme, war theme, historical event theme, landscape flower and bird theme, science fiction theme, workers, peasants and soldiers theme, etc.). ). At the same time, it is also necessary to analyze whether the genre form selected by the work conforms to the content to be expressed by the theme, and the genre is the complete form of the art work. A good work of art should be the unity of theme and genre, that is, the unity of content and form.

(3) Emotional feeling and synaesthesia.

This link is the most important link in synaesthesia. As we know, emotional activity is one of the main characteristics of artistic practice, which runs through the whole process of artistic practice. Without emotional activities, art loses its meaning. As the saying goes, science convinces people with reason, and art convinces people with emotion. There is a big difference between emotional feeling and emotional observation here. Emotional observation is only the initial emotional perception of the media, with direct, external and superficial emotional perception characteristics, and it is the superficial understanding stage of the subject. At this time, the subject has not yet entered the stage of appreciating artistic works, so we should pay attention to the difference between watching paintings and appreciating, listening to music and appreciating music.

Emotional feeling is the stage of rational understanding in the process of artistic appreciation, which is based on emotional observation and the deepening of emotional perception. In this link, the subject basically experiences the emotion expressed by the artist in the works of art, and under the control of the brain, consciously evokes information similar to the emotion expressed by the previous media to help the brain understand the works of art. This information is multi-sensory (including hearing, vision, touch, smell and taste) and has the characteristics that all senses perceive the works of art together, so it is also called synaesthesia. As long as it is conducive to the understanding of works of art, all sensory information can be used to break the physiological boundaries and make the senses communicate with each other, which is what this paper calls synaesthesia. It should be noted that the synaesthesia phenomenon mentioned here is a psychological concept rather than a physiological concept. It is an emotional and thinking activity inside the subject's brain, which is a black box and invisible to the outside world. The mutual borrowing and communication between the subject senses mentioned here is impossible in the physiological sense, but it can be realized in the psychological sense. It is a way to perceive things inside the brain, and it is the communication between the senses in brain images, which has important practical significance in the practice of art appreciation.

First of all, it can help the subject to experience and feel the works of art from a multi-sensory perspective and arouse the emotional feelings of the subject. Secondly, giving full play to the subject's imagination will help us realize what is beyond the artistic works (artistic conception), that is, what the artist wants to express but does not fully express. At the same time, it also enables the subject to play a unique creative role in understanding artistic works, and through imagination and association, it supplements the connotation or image that the artist wants to express and is in harmony with the emotions expressed by artistic works. Thirdly, it can help the subject to understand the works of art from the surface (perceptual knowledge) to the inner (rational knowledge), so that the subject can truly understand the connotations of life philosophy, interest and ambition, ethics, beauty and ugliness, truth and absurdity. What the artist wants to express in his works, so that the subject can be satisfied spiritually and emotionally.

The above specifically talked about the psychological process and function of the subject synaesthesia phenomenon, and the third aspect talked about the sensory communication mode in the following synaesthesia phenomenon.

Thirdly, the way of sensory transformation to image sensory transformation.

The transformation from senses to image senses mainly refers to the fact that in the practice of art appreciation, the subject directly perceives or perceives the media (works of art) with a certain sensory organ, and arouses other sensory organs in the internal image of the brain to know the works of art under the influence of emotional feelings. The sensory organs of the former are real and real. The sensory organ mentioned by the latter is not real, but an illusory and imaginary feeling produced by the internal thinking of the brain. Therefore, when we interpret works of art with this sense of image, we should add the word "as if". As we seem to see; We seem to hear waiting. This kind of image sensory perception has the characteristics of the subject's own creative understanding of artistic works.

There are various ways to transform senses into image senses. For example, vision can be transformed not only into image vision, but also into other image senses, so this transformation method can be roughly divided into two types, one is the transformation between the same senses; The other is the conversion between different senses. For example, an old overseas Chinese who has been wandering overseas for many years will feel homesick whenever he hears the "homesick song" of his hometown in a foreign land. He seemed to hear the voice of his old mother (from the same sensory hearing to the image hearing); I seem to see the scene of my hometown, houses with simple style, yards surrounded by wooden stakes, stone mills used for generations in front of the door, lush jujube trees in the backyard and so on. (the transformation from different sensory hearing to image vision); It seems to smell the fragrance of hometown soil (from different sensory hearing to image smell); As if in midsummer, I felt the cool breeze in my hometown and the warmth of the heatable adobe sleeping platform in the middle of winter (from different sensory hearing to image touch); As if in the autumn harvest season, I tasted the sweetness of jujube (from different sensory hearing to image taste). These synaesthesia ways of understanding works of art are exactly the synaesthesia in art appreciation practice mentioned in this paper. Because this kind of synaesthesia is not real, it does exist in the subject's brain image, so we call it synaesthesia.

Synaesthesia is widely used in artistic practice, not only in artistic appreciation practice, but also in artistic creation practice. The application of synaesthesia in the practice of art appreciation can greatly mobilize and bring into play the subject's ability to imagine and creatively understand media works, thus helping the subject's understanding of the media develop from superficial perceptual knowledge to rational knowledge of Ceng Li. In addition, due to different personal experiences, different ways of obtaining information, different ways of storing information and other factors, the subject's cognitive media are diverse, which is why there will be a phenomenon that "if a thousand people appreciate Hamlet, there will be a thousand Hamlets" in the practice of art appreciation. This is because the process of synaesthesia is a process of imagining and creating perceptual works of art, which only occurs in the emotional feeling and synaesthesia stage of the subject, and there will be no big difference in the final rational understanding stage. In addition, synaesthesia can also help the subject understand and comprehend the unexpressed connotation in the media, communicate with the artist mentally, and make the subject get great spiritual satisfaction in the practice of art appreciation.

The above is my experience of synaesthesia in artistic practice, and I have made some superficial analysis. There may be mistakes in the article, please criticize and correct me.