CC Hart is a polysynesthete whose work is shaped by multiple forms of synesthesia—a neurological trait in which the senses interact and overlap. While some individuals experience a single type, others, known as polysynesthetes, may experience several. More than 80 forms of synesthesia have been described in academic literature, and Hart’s perceptual world includes a wide range of cross-sensory associations.
Her most prominent forms include:
- grapheme–color and lexeme–color synesthesia
- spatial–sequential and number-form synesthesia
- time units–color associations
- sound–color and sound–touch synesthesia
- touch–color and proprioception–color synesthesia
- pain–color synesthesia
- movement–touch synesthesia
- mirror-touch, mirror-proprioception, and synesthesia-for-pain
These perceptual associations have been present since early childhood and remain a consistent part of her daily experience. Some are constant—such as color associations with language and time—while others appear more intermittently. For example, occasional forms of taste–color synesthesia align with phenomena described in research on “one-shot synesthesia” by Alexandra Kirschner and Danko Nikolić.
Mirror-Sensory Synesthesia
Mirror-sensory forms of synesthesia are central to Hart’s perceptual experience and creative work. In these forms, visual perception, bodily sensation, and neural mirroring processes converge, producing a direct, embodied response to what is seen.
Although she did not encounter the term synesthesia until adulthood, her earliest memories include these mirror-sensory experiences and the dissonance of feeling, in her own body, what she observed in others.
Hart experiences three primary forms of mirror-sensory synesthesia:
Mirror-Proprioception
The involuntary mirroring of others’ movement.
When observing motion—such as dancers performing—her muscles respond in parallel, producing subtle contractions and impulses that track the observed action.
Synesthesia-for-Pain
A form of mirrored pain response.
When witnessing injury—whether in real life, film, or text—she experiences sharp, radiating sensations in her own body. These often travel along specific dermatomal pathways, particularly from the hips to the heels, and can extend across the arms and chest depending on intensity and fatigue.
Mirror-Touch Synesthesia
The direct experience of touch through observation.
Seeing touch applied to another body produces a corresponding sensation in her own, typically in mirrored orientation. This form of synesthesia has shaped both her perceptual experience and her professional work.
Embodiment and Practice
This capacity for embodied mirroring has played a significant role in Hart’s clinical work as a manual therapist. Observing the movement and response of a client’s body is accompanied by corresponding internal sensation, creating a heightened form of somatic feedback. This perceptual integration has informed her understanding of touch, pain, and physical response over the course of a decades-long practice.
More broadly, these sensory experiences inform her work as an artist and writer. Her practice explores how internal, often invisible experiences—such as sensation, pain, and perceptual blending—can be translated into visual, narrative, and conceptual forms.
IASAS
Hart is a founding member and executive board secretary of the International Association of Synaesthetes, Artists, and Scientists, an organization dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of synesthesia through interdisciplinary collaboration.
IASAS supports research, creative work, and community engagement across scientific and artistic domains, fostering dialogue among synesthetes, researchers, artists, and the broader public.
Inquiries
For media, speaking engagements, or research-related inquiries, please use the CONTACT form.
Due to volume, I’m not able to respond to questions about identifying or interpreting personal sensory experiences. If you are exploring your synesthesia, please visit the RESOURCES page.
