Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival 2026 Satellite: Synesthetic Symphony of Sound & Sight

YSDAF brings back one of its Festival Highlights and the winner of YSDAF 2025 Pitch Start grant.

This inclusive arts initiative which is a collaboration between Malaysian Association for the Blind, UPSI and Persatuan Hearts Symphony explores synesthesia in the visually impaired and the connection between art, tactile and sound sensations.

What is synesthesia? It is a phenomenon where a person experiences more than one unrelated sense at the same time such as tasting words or coloured hearing. For example, one may hear sounds, music or voices that could evoke colours or shapes.

In Synesthetic Symphony of Sound & Sight, nine artists who are blind or have low vision will create abstract art live using tactile paint while musicians and singers from marginalised communities perform a moving song, Colours of My Heart, in the background.

During this 30-minute journey, audiences can wander up close to witness how their creations unfold or create their own art on the side.

Apart from the performance, the facilitators will share a bit about the tactile paint and process that was created for this project. There will also be a forum where the members of the public can ask questions.

The performance will focus on blindness as a means of enhanced sensory perception. It explores how the absence of sight can lead to unique artistic expressions. The combination of blind art and music evokes a powerful emotional interpretation response.

*Admission is free but pre-registration is required.

Production / Creative Team
Festival Executive Producer: Dato' Dr Faridah Merican
Festival Artistic Director: Joe Hasham OAM
Festival Directors: Ian Chow, Ang Yue May, Maggie Ong
Festival Production Managers: Hafiza Husna, Daniel Haikal, Fatin Nur Alya, Aira Amirah, Toh Ee Mynn
Festival Administrator: Esther Kuan, Amanda Chan
Festival Venue Manager: Hazim Mansur, Alice Myrna
Festival Technical: Mathanakumar, Mohd Helmi
Lighting Designer: Lim Ang Swee
Sound Engineer: JJ Tan
Stage Manager: Fatin Nur Alya
MC: Aidil Rosli
Production Stage Assistant: Sing Rong, Hui Xin, Le Yin
Persatuan Hearts Symphony Leader: Dr Wong Siew Ngan
UPSI Leader: Dr Rosyida Muhd Rozlan
MAB Leader: Dato’ George Thomas