Synthesis is a process that is often used both in a person’s daily life and highly specific spheres, like art, music or architecture. As a concept, synthesis involves using particular use of existing elements to form a whole. However, a notable difference comes in what is defined as an element. In synthesis, each element of a new whole is a whole in and of itself. This means, that, each separate part of a created object can be examined or understood as its own entity. For example, a person making figures out of different vegetables can be examined. Every single vegetable carved out for the purposes of art, put into its intended place or altered remains being itself, a distinct whole that is used to comprise a bigger whole. A creation made out of vegetables would be considered a piece of art, but each of its individual part remains an object someone can understand. The process of synthesis also includes other specific steps, such as choosing and grouping the elements according to specific criteria. Similar process of synthesis is used in many avenues of human life, even those that one may consider mundane. I, personally, engage with the concept of synthesis every day, using different objects to create new and unique meaning for myself or others.
The image above is the result of me using the process of synthesis. Cooking, as a whole, can be one of the most prime examples of creating something from existing parts. As can be seen in the image, each ingredient can be considered a separate entity, but their combination with each other, the particular choice of foods and their positioning transforms the meaning from “food items” to a “dish”. All ingredients were also selected in accordance with particular criteria – taste and availability in this case.