Color vision, or chromatic vision, refers to the sensation produced in the retina of the eye when stimulated by light of different wavelengths, experienced by humans and animals alike.
The conditions for color vision include not only the visual organs but also external factors such as the presence of objects and light.
Color vision involves multiple disciplines, including physics, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and psychology, making it a complex and fascinating subject.
Our focus today is on an artist who stands out due to her ability to perceive numerous additional colors along the edges of petals. Concetta Antico, residing in San Diego, California, possesses a unique vision as a tetrachromat, allowing her to see nearly 100 times more colors than an ordinary trichromat.
Antico, a superhuman in the realm of color vision, has more photoreceptors distributed in her eyes than an average person, creating a kaleidoscopic visual world for her. While the typical human eye has three standard color cones capable of perceiving around one million colors, tetrachromats like her possess an additional cone, expanding their color perception to a staggering 99 million shades.
The ability to see colors is attributed to the cone cells in the eyes, which absorb different wavelengths of light and transmit information to the brain, creating our perception of color.
Most people have three types of cone cells, but tetrachromats like Antico, with a unique fourth cone cell, have an unparalleled capacity to see colors beyond the spectrum visible to the ordinary eye.
Approximately 2% of women have been confirmed to be tetrachromats, possessing this unique genetic trait. While most individuals can distinguish red, green, and blue wavelengths, tetrachromats experience no such limitations.
This genetic variation in tetrachromats' X chromosomes allows them to perceive colors differently.
To harness her gift, Antico prefers creating vibrant impressionist paintings featuring brightly colored animals and rich landscapes. She aims to convey colors in a way that allows others to experience them differently. Antico believes that everyone possesses the potential to see more colors, but our lifestyles or the emphasis on technology may obscure this ability.
Color perception goes beyond visual functionality, intertwining with cognition and psychology. Colors swiftly convey information, express desires, and directly influence emotions, invoking specific emotional associations. The psychological effects of colors extend beyond mere visual sensations, affecting perceptions of size, weight, temperature, and contraction.
For instance, psychiatric departments often use light blue, which helps stabilize highly stressed mental states. Pediatric wards opt for warm colors like pink to alleviate children's tension. Color vision also connects with other senses, such as taste. Seeing red in an apple may evoke a perception of sweetness, while red in a chili might be associated with spiciness.
Similar to perceptual constancy in spatial perception, color vision also exhibits relative stability. Despite the significant differences in light intensity and energy distribution between incandescent and natural light, the perceived color of a red apple remains relatively consistent.
In essence, color perception is a dynamic and multidimensional phenomenon that transcends visual aesthetics, pivotal in shaping our emotional responses and sensory interactions with the world.
Antico, as a tetrachromat, not only enriches her artwork but also believes in unlocking the hidden potential within each person to perceive a broader spectrum of colors. Colors, beyond their visual appeal, hold the power to influence emotions, creating a tapestry that connects the visual, emotional, and even gustatory aspects of human experience.
