synaptic

An Abstract:

From the safety of his childhood Darkroom, created in his bedroom cupboard, the once Little Boy with a Torch shines his light on a new immersive experience with this intimate installation.

He has developed a project of intriguing light and sound. Using audio visual technology to illustrate what it is like to feel “not normal” in a world outside today’s Darkroom Door; a place where we are constantly distracted and bombarded by technological notifications and the inconvenience of convenience in everyday life, complicating and overwhelming social interaction.

He invites us into this new “Darkroom” to tell a story of this modern overwhelm outside in the world by taking us on a journey of confusion, distraction and wonder with his 15 strange and eerie storytelling cubes. Filled with 6000 programmable LED’s and accompanied by a cleverly placed spatial audio. The cubes, whilst using millions of colours and abstracted audio, mesmerise us with light, shapes and sounds, flickering and filling every corner during this 20 minute experience.

You hear the birdsong, slowly you start to move and momentum builds during the sounds of breakfast, the door bell stands out like a scream, the dog barks, then everything falls back to silence.
The walk to the bus....momentum builds again, traffic gives a rhythm ........the emergency services deafen you.
Waiting on the platform in morning silence with the other commuters, no words just the rings and bleeps of notifications...the distraction of a train announcement,....you didn't listen , you hear the conversation far down the platform between the angry passenger and ticket collector.....

... the commute to work, the noise, the cramped space, the momentum and rhythm increases again, your heart rate is up,  breathing quickens. The hum of the office lights, the flicker of the meeting room lights. The social overload of the work canteen. The five a side football in the park, the falling over ...the bounce of the ball.
The evening drink on the way home. What do I say, how can I fit in?  Where can I sit that will feel ok? Listening to conversations over there, not present.

Calm and safety of home, the telly turned down the blue screen giving a buzz....to bed, the tick of Tinnitus.

Silence, sleep, solitude

Calm is restored, reflection is re-purposed back in the Darkroom when the lights come back on.

The Project:

We’re creating an immersive audio and lighting installation that explores the sensory world of neurodivergent people—particularly those with experiences of Autism and ADHD.

Our goal is to inform understanding and meaningful conversations about sensory sensitivity, and how it can affect daily life in ways that are deeply enriching, and other times, overwhelming or disabling.

This project is grounded in ongoing research and lived experience. We’re committed to developing it in an ethically respectful way, shaped by the voices of the neurodivergent community.

We are collaborating with neurodiversity experts to help further develop the installation, with the goal of adapting and re-purposing it for schools, workplaces, and community spaces across Bristol.

This second phase of the project aims to go beyond the initial installation — to educate, foster empathy, and spark open conversations about what it’s like to live with neurodiversity. By making these sensory experiences accessible in everyday environments, we hope to create a deeper understanding and lasting positive social impact in the community.

We’d love to hear from you. If you identify as neurodivergent, please consider sharing your insights through our short questionnaire. Your thoughts will directly shape how the installation looks, sounds, and feels—and how we share these sensory stories with wider audiences.

Click or scan the QR code below to take part, or sign up to receive updates about the project. Thank you.