'All roads lead to Grace Jones': visual artists on the music that fires them up in the studio

Peter Doig and Harold Offeh are among those who have drawn inspiration from various types of music, reflecting the deep connection between art and sound in their work. For Peter Doig, whose exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery features recent paintings alongside his favourite records played through an extraordinary sound system, the relationship is intuitive: 'music is part of my creative process'.

Johannes Vermeer's 17th-century painting "Music Lesson" may seem a surprising starting point for contemporary artists to explore music, but it sets a precedent for the fusion of art and sound. More recently, Piet Mondrian created works that embodied the rhythm of boogie-woogie.

Many artists express their love of music as an integral part of their creative process. Harold Offeh credits Grace Jones' album "Island Life" with sparking his interest in exploring visual representations of music. His series "Covers" features images of performers from the 1970s and '80s, while Ragnar Kjartansson listens to the Cure on repeat to evoke a sense of melancholy.

For others, like Chris Ofili, music is an essential element in their studio experience. In contrast, Jeremy Deller prefers listening to talks about how awful the world is while he works. Lindsey Mendick finds solace in Spice Girls' anthems as she creates her installations.

Caroline Coon is inspired by carnival sounds and visuals, and Laure Prouvost incorporates sound into many of her films and videos. Mark Leckey credits music with helping him overcome his art school obstacles.

Artists often seek out songs that evoke specific emotions or moods in their work, drawing inspiration from a wide range of musical genres. Whether through the rhythm of steel band calypso, the introspective melodies of Sade's "Babyfather" or the ecstatic soundscapes of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You", music plays a vital role in shaping artists' creative expressions.
 
music is like the visualizer's best friend πŸŽΆπŸ–ŒοΈ, helps me get into a zone when creating art and also super inspiring for new ideas πŸ€”. i just watched this vid of peter doig talking about his exhibition at serpentine gallery and it was so cool how he connected music to his creative process 🎧. but what's interesting is how different artists respond to music, like jeremy deller listening to bleak talks while working πŸ˜’... that's a whole new vibe for me 🀯. anyway, it just goes to show that art and sound are not as separate as we think they are 🎨🎢.
 
omg i love how music inspires so many artists πŸŽΆπŸ–ŒοΈ, like peter doig's exhibition is such a cool idea, and harold offeh's "covers" series is amazing too 🀩, can't wait to see more art exhibitions that blend sound & visuals πŸ“ΊπŸŽ΅
 
can you believe some ppl actually find inspiration in art from music lol πŸŽ΅πŸ–ŒοΈ i mean, i get it, music is like this huge part of our lives, but for me, it's all about the vibes u know? my fave artist, johannes vermeer, he's all about capturing moments in time, and music just adds another layer to that. i love how some ppl listen to music while they work, like ragnar kjartansson with the cure on repeat... it's like, the ultimate chill session 🀯
 
🎨 I think its pretty cool how music is influencing art right now. Im listening to loads of 90s R&B and Britpop while i work πŸš€, it gets me moving and inspires me to make something new. Artists are really tapping into the emotions and vibes of their favorite tunes which makes for some amazing visuals 😊. I mean have you seen Chris Ofilis paintings with music blasting in the background? πŸ”₯ Its like its taking art to a whole new level! 🎧
 
🎨 I think it's dope how some artists are like, super into music and it influences their art, you know? Like, Peter Doig's whole exhibition is centered around his fave tunes, that's crazy! And I love how Johannes Vermeer's old painting sparked this new wave of artists exploring sound in their work. It just goes to show how art and music can be all connected, like they're two sides of the same coin πŸŽ΅πŸ“š
 
Music is literally like the ultimate muse for me πŸŽ΅πŸ’«, you know how sometimes I'm stuck on a task and I just start listening to some chill beats or my favorite playlists? 🎢 it's like my productivity levels instantly boost πŸ’ͺ🏽, no joke! I've also started using soundscapes as background noise while I work or study - it really helps me focus πŸ”πŸ’». And can we talk about how cool it is that artists are inspired by music too? 🀯 like, Peter Doig's art exhibition with his fave records playing in the background sounds AMAZING πŸŽ¨πŸ”Š! I might have to try that out at my next work session πŸ˜‚πŸ‘
 
Ugh man I still remember listening to CDs at the mall πŸ“€ back in the day, you know? These artists today are all about that sound system life πŸ˜‚ but for real though some of these records they're playing... it's like, how did they even find those? Like seriously, who's going to have a copy of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You" from back in the 50s? 🀯 I swear, it's like trying to get my hands on old vinyl records at Thrift Town... good luck with that! πŸ˜‚
 
Music has always been super inspiring for me... I mean, have you seen those paintings by Peter Doig with his fave records playing? It's like he's speaking my language 🎨🎡. But at the same time, it's crazy how many artists are drawn to music - some love it, others can't even focus on their work while listening to some tunes πŸ˜‚. Like, I get it, music can be super emotive and all that jazz, but I'm more of a 'turn it off' kinda person when I need to concentrate πŸ’». Still, it's awesome to see how art and sound are all connected - like, have you seen those paintings from the 70s that were inspired by boogie-woogie? That's some cool stuff 🎢.
 
i think its wild how many ppl make art 2 music & vice versa lol its like they're speaking different languages but they just click πŸŽΆπŸ‘ i mean u got peter doig listenin 2 records while he paints & harold offeh gettin inspiration from grace jones' album, which is lowkey genius in itself πŸ˜‚. and then theres ppl like ragnar kjartansson who listens 2 the cure 4 hours straight, i wonder if that ever gets old 🀣
 
🎨🎢 I think its so cool how music is literally bringing art to life right now, like they're talking about their fave records and albums that inspire them... I mean it's not just about the paintings or sculptures anymore, its about creating an experience. Like when you walk into that Serpentine Gallery exhibition and they've got Peter Doig's paintings playing music in the background, it totally changes how you see the art. And its awesome to see artists from different eras drawing inspiration from each other too... like how Piet Mondrian was all about boogie-woogie πŸ•Ί. Music just adds this whole new level of depth and emotion to their work, no?
 
🎨 I think its pretty cool how music influences art and vice versa, you know? Like Peter Doig's whole exhibition thing is so unique, I love it! Using those records to inspire his paintings must be really interesting to see. And I'm intrigued by Harold Offeh's album "Island Life" - who knew that would spark some inspiration for him? 😊
 
🀩 just read that Peter Doig's exhibition at Serpentine Gallery is all about his fave records 🎢 guess he's not alone in thinking music fuels creativity... did you know 75% of artists report using music to spark inspiration? πŸ“Š also interesting to see how different genres influence art, like 40% of artists draw from world music and 25% from electronic vibes πŸ”₯ what about you, do you find solace in music while creating? πŸŽ¨πŸ’«
 
🎨🎢 I'm loving how this exhibition is bringing art and music together, it's like they're speaking the same language 🀝! Artists are using sound to evoke emotions and create these amazing pieces of work πŸ’₯. I mean, who knew that "Babyfather" by Sade could inspire a whole new world of art 🌎? And can we talk about how cool it is that Peter Doig's paintings are paired with his favorite records 🎧? It's like music was meant to be part of the creative process 🎡. Artists are really pushing the boundaries and exploring different genres, from steel band calypso to Screamin' Jay Hawkins... it's all about finding that spark πŸ’«!
 
idk why ppl are gettin all nostalgic about this art & music combo... its like every artist is just tryin to be cool cuz their fave band is out of print or somethin πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. and whats w/ the sound system at serpentine gallery? can't they just play the album on a normal speaker like everyone else?
 
man i love how art and music just kinda mesh together like they were meant to be 😊. it's so cool that these artists are drawing inspiration from different genres of music, you know? like peter doig's show at the serpentine gallery is a total game-changer, playing his fave records while he creates 🎡. and have you seen harold offeh's "covers" series? it's like a visual representation of all the iconic performers from back in the day πŸ™Œ.

i'm also loving how caroline coon incorporates carnival sounds into her work - it's like she's tapping into this whole different vibe πŸŽͺ. and lindsey mendick's spice girls anthems are just the best, lol πŸ™ƒ. anyway, i think music is such a huge part of what makes art so special - it's all about evoking emotions and moods, you know? πŸŽΆπŸ’–
 
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