What does music look like? This British artist paints what he hears
Sounds can sometimes interrupt Andrew’s thoughts, but he sees synaesthesia as an inseparable part of his life.
British artist Jake Andrew perceives music through the lens of color, shape and texture. This phenomenon stems from his synaesthesia, a neurological condition that links sensory experiences. Whenever Andrew hears a sound, an image instantly appears in his mind. Among his preferred instruments to paint is the cello, described as dark yet not ominous, with an edge that resembles tiny dust particles.
Andrew's synaesthesia extends to everyday sounds as well. He visualizes a passing motorbike in dark purple and his friend's dog barking in a lime-green shade. In September, Andrew showcased this unique way of experiencing sound during a live performance at the Handbag Factory in London. Pianists Camden Stewart and Karim Kamar improvised their compositions, which Andrew translated into paint on the spot.
Andrew's paintings do not follow the conventional associations between colors and moods. For instance, the E minor key, typically associated with dark blue and slow legato movements, can also result in vibrant, swirling visuals. Experts in cognitive neuroscience, such as Professor Jamie Ward, explain that synaesthesia like chromesthesia can involve shapes, movement and texture in addition to color.
Although sound-to-color synaesthesia can sometimes disrupt Andrew's train of thought, he considers it an integral part of his life. Refusing to see it as a curse, he declares, "I can't imagine what it would be like to not have it." For the musicians involved in the live performance, the experience has been intriguing, with one musician admitting, "That's like asking me what does a fourth dimension look like? I can't even fathom it."
Written by urgent.news from Euronews's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
