Color of Sound is an exhibition of music and synesthesia-themed art curated by the The Art of Autism nonprofit, the first exhibition of its kind in a Southern California museum, featuring 14 artists who are neurodivergent. While autism creates challenges with communication, it also may enhance connections between colors, sounds, shapes and music. The Art of Autism is 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. 

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. Many of the artists in this exhibition join color with emotions and shapes to create their art. A number of the artworks created by these autistic artists were inspired by music.

This exhibition is a reimagining of the MozArt@OMA exhibition scheduled for April 11–26, 2020, in honor of National Autism Awareness Month. MozArt@OMA was, unfortunately, unable to be presented due to OMA’s temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Header artwork: The Vibrant Colors of the Opera Carmen by Jeremy Sicile Kira

If you would like to learn more about the artwork, including if the artists have work available to purchase, please email exhibitions@oma-online.org.