By Chelsea Reed
Original art and music are close cousins. One industry details the artistry of sound, while the other reveals powerful expression. It’s no surprise then, that the two disciplines often inspire each other. Sound meets visuals...what does that look like? Here’s how music impacts the art industry.
Every artist knows that creativity requires intense focus. It’s tricky to capture because it’s not controlled at will by the mind. Music, however, has the amazing ability to draw it out. It’s like a fertilizer for “growing” art. Many artists like to listen to music while they create for this reason. The Russian art theorist Wassily Kandinsky attempted to describe music in the arts. “Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings,” he wrote. “The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.”
While music has inspired artists through the ages, music theory influenced certain movements. Modernist micro-movements like synchromism and cubic orphism made noble attempts to put visuals to music. These 20th century movements were short-lived, but they left us a lasting legacy. You can still see their fingerprints today. Berge Missakian’s vibrant cubism is a great example. His style is related to orphism. The colors in his art appear to dance off the canvas!
Artists and musicians are great business partners. They can come together to show their talents at art galleries, art shows, and local events. Sometimes, artists are commissioned by musicians to make album art and concert posters. Large-scale projects like animated films and cartoons provide good work to visual and musical artists. Think about it the next time you go to the movies...pretty cool, right? Buying artwork at Seaside Art Gallery also helps support artists to keep doing what they love to do.
There are plenty of mysteries behind the art-music connection. We may not understand them all, but we can appreciate this beautiful harmony. Whether you like art, music, or both, Seaside Art Gallery has tons of great art pieces to explore. Come see our gallery right here online. Find what inspires you!
