Our Sixth Sense: Experiencing Emotions Through Color Therapy
Ayesha Mirza
Colors carry abstract beauty and symbolism, they give personal meaning to us through unlocking emotions and memories. Color therapy identifies the importance of emotions and being in touch with our emotions to heal. In my thesis, I have used design to expand on psychological research that suggests emotions are our sixth sense.
Everyone knows the main five senses, but our sixth sense, emotion, is overlooked. Our everyday emotional feelings actually serve as an innate guidance system that is essential to human health. Emotion is the sense that directs, modifies, and condenses our other five senses. It is our emotional sense that gives us the ability to understand and describe the world. How can we redefine emotion as our sixth sense through design?
In this thesis, I created a small exhibition of six projected animations, which explore emotion through color. Each abstract animation explores a specific color that carries varied meaning and symbolism, and aims to unlock different emotions in the viewers as they immerse themselves in the immersive experience. I also created a booklet for the exhibition, which explores the color meaning and symbolism behind each animations. Through the exploration of color psychology, this thesis seeks to open conversations about color and emotion.