Exploring the Role of Music in Abstract Art
Abstract art, known for its departure from the traditionalistic representations, and embracing the non-representational, has a very interesting relationship with the world of music. For in all other media, art has interactions through emotion, energy, and expression in color, form, and rhythm. Not a new idea that music interacts somehow with abstract art. The truth is, many abstract artists have been inspired by the sound and rhythm of music to create works evoking the same feelings and sensations.
It was then during the early 20th century when the connection between music and abstract art really began. At that time, artists such as Wassily Kandinsky started exploring an element known as synesthesia-the ability of one sense to trigger another. Kandinsky, one of the pioneers in abstract art, had been greatly inspired by the appreciation of music. He believed that colors and shapes could communicate the same affective qualities as music. Just like a melody might create happiness or sadness, colors or geometric forms can as well. For Kandinsky, painting was an attempt at a kind of "visual music," where rhythm in brushstrokes and the combination of colors might evoke an emotional response much in the way that music is judged to work.
Music has also had a sway on the structure of their works. What once was a similar situation with a musical composition, abstract art can give off movement or tension much like that a song does. Lines, shapes, and colors rise and fall to meet and recreate what a musical piece does. This is going to be a visual symphony of sorts. Just as silence is as important as the sound of music, bad space in abstract art is very important because it brings forth balance and contrast, just as the pauses in a musical score.
Additionally, there were some abstract artists who, either by being musicians themselves or coming from the music world, found inspiration in rhythms and patterns of contemporary music. One of Russia's leading abstract artists, Kazimir Malevich, has been influenced by the rhythms and repetitive patterns in contemporary music. In his "Suprematist" paintings, he uses rhythms that allude to steady beats in music, as if it is a sound variation, for instance, through the shapes of geometry and bold contrasting colors.
In this line, it continues with the surge of hybridity in music and abstract art going into modern times. Visual artists work together with musicians on multimedia installations where sound and images play together-sounds that are mixed with lines from the visual world-blurring what one considers as these two creative spheres. The collaborative effort would be to create a sensory experience where a viewer is not merely an observer of art but rather immersed in a complete experience fusing sight and sound.
In the end, the role of music in abstract art tells us that these two diverse forms are more akin than dissimilar. Each tries to find a way to express that which can never be spoken, to evoke a response emotionally, and to go beyond the barriers of language. Whether it is the brush strokes or notes in a symphony, both artists and musicians have the common goal of establishing a sense of relationship with their audience on a deeper, emotional level that transcends borders and cultures, even time and generations.
Exploring the Role of Music in Abstract Art
