This essay explores the evolving relationship between music and visual art, focusing on three key historical turning points that significantly influenced their interaction. The first turning point was the emergence of abstract painting in the 1910s, which allowed music to be visualized conceptually rather than through literal representation. The second turning point was the popularity of synesthesia as a cultural and artistic phenomenon from the late 19th century to around 1930, where the blending of sensory experiences (such as seeing colors while hearing music) became a central theme in art. The third turning point was the advent of sound reproduction technology in the late 19th century, which transformed how sound was recorded and visualized, shifting from symbolic representations to more direct, indexical forms. The author aims to critique the visual art-centric bias in the art world, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of art that recognizes the significance of sound and music. To do that, the author plans to write two more additional essays in the near future: one will examine two modes of relationships (the "integration of arts" and the "incorporation of external elements"), and the other will focus on two new concepts (new synesthesia and sound art) that demonstrate the transformation of their relationships.
View full abstract
