Artspace Irene Mueller

Artspace Irène Mueller

Painting to Music

Gallery "the poem of fire" - Artist Statement

Artist Statement

Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was the first composer that aimed to synthesize music with colors. He created his own color-sound mapping system by accurately assigning colors to specific pitches of sound. In the symphonic composition "Prometheus", Op. 60, (1910), also known as "the "poem of fire", Scriabin used a purpose-built color organ that projected colors onto the wall when the pitches were played. With this organ he enabled the projection of the so-called “Luce Voice” in the score of “Prometheus”.

Repeatedly compositions of Scriabin were performed with colors. In fact, the influence of Scriabin’s multimedia idea has been enormous. Even today, artists regard his works as a big source of inspiration.

The music has the power to give particular emotions to the soul and to reflect certain moods; there are natural affinities between the human soul and the harmonies and rhythms. I tried to tune my soul into Scriabin’s music, but ignored the parallels between colors and sounds of his system. By doing so and imagining light and fire, unconsciously and intuitively I gave birth to thirteen paintings.