“Art is not an end in itself, but a means of addressing humanity.”
Modest Mussorgsky
As philosopher Richard Wollheim says, art is “one of the most elusive of the traditional problems of human culture.” In its simplest manifestation, art is a form of communication that serves as a vehicle for the expression of emotions and ideas. As ideas and beliefs are culturally specific and constantly changing over time, there really is no generally agreed definition of what constitutes art. That being said, the classical branches of the visual arts are identified as painting, sculpture and architecture. Literature and poetry are considered part of the humanities or as one of the arts, while music, alongside theatre, film and dance belong to the performing arts. In this section you will discover not only specific explorations of individual art forms, but also a more detailed probing of the relationship between the visual arts and music, including painting and music, sculpture and music and architecture and music. Originally, poetry and music were treated as a unity, but gradually they have become more independent. Nevertheless, the two art forms have never forgotten their shared genetic makeup, and been intertwined for millennia. Art and music have engaged in a dynamic relationship that reveals a diverse range of human activity intended to be appreciated for their beauty.
Inspirations Behind Kaija Saariaho: D’OM LE VRAI SENS The six Unicorn tapestries held at the Cluny Museum in Paris are an allegory of the five senses, through a meditation on earthly pleasures and courtly culture. Framed around the idea of
Inspirations Behind Barry Guy: After the Rain German artist Max Ernst (1891–1976) created two major pieces entitled Europe After the Rain. The first, in 1933, is a collage of oil and wood, refiguring the map of Europe. Although many believe
Inspirations Behind Simon Holt: Nigredo The German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945) creates his art around the themes of German history and the Holocaust. Many of his works incorporate multiple material types. The catalogue for his work Nigredo
Helen Grime: 3 Whistler Miniatures Called a ‘millionaire Bohemienne’ by a Boston reporter, the wealthy Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840– 1924) founded a museum that can be seen as the ultimate goal of any 19th-century traveller. After the death of her
Inspirations Behind John Luther Adams: Among Red Mountains At the Seattle Tacoma Airport (Sea-Tac), there’s an art collection that cannot help but catch your eye. The Port of Seattle is in charge of the art collection, which began in 1968;
Bruno Battisti D’Amario: 4 Impressioni Italian composer Bruno Battisti D’Amario (b. 1937) did his musical training at the Conservatorio Musicale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, before working with Ennio Morricone on his film soundtracks. He was lead guitarist on both
Inspirations Behind Angelo Gilardino’s 2 Ritratti italiani Two Italian paintings, created less than a decade apart, were the inspiration for guitarist Angelo Gilardino’s Due ritratti italiani. Written in 2013, the work takes a painting by Giorgione and one by Titian
Inspirations Behind Jake Heggie’s Statuesque American composer Jake Heggie (b. 1961) looked at the statues of five women and wrote his song cycle Statuesque in their honour. He worked with Gene Scheer, an American songwriter, librettist, and lyricist who had
