Puget Playlist: Painting the Sound

Painting the Sound - Music Murals

"I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music." - Joan Miro

Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which two or more senses are blended. Can you taste blue or hear sunlight? Then you might be a synesthete. Or possibly on acid. Whatever. Art is inherently synesthetic, with the various disciplines constantly merging, fusing and influencing one another. Music related murals are one instance in which the visual is inspired by the auditory, and they've found a voice on more than one empty wall throughout the world. This is excellent for those of us that aren't born with siamese senses. A few examples, maestro? Indeed.

Jazz Mural in Queens, New York City

Located in the community of St. Albans in Queens, this mural pays homage to the unbelievable list of musical luminaries to emerge from the tiny enclave. Featured in the colorful motif are Lena Horne, Count Basie, John Coltrane, Fats Waller (not seen in this photo), James Brown (not seen in this photo), Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, among others. The mural was repainted in 2004 to restore it from the ravages of weather and time. Rapper Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest cited the painting as a constant inspiration during his youth in Queens. And where would any of us be without Tribe? The images run along a stretch of Linden Boulevard as it passes beneath the Long Island Railroad tracks.

Lennon Wall in Prague, Czech Republic

An evolving work dedicated to the life and ideals of John Lennon. After Lennon's death in 1980, this formerly undecorated wall became a spontaneous memorial for his grieving fans. Song lyrics, quotes, messages, symbols of peace and the late Beatles' likeness were all anonymously tattooed onto the wall. Though the government tried to suppress the outpouring of artistic remembrance by painting over the wall repeatedly (Lennon's music was considered subversive by the Communist leaders), people returned time after time to rebuild the mural. The ever-changing content of the artwork combined with it's egalitarian nature (anyone can contribute) makes it unique in the realm of music murals. Though it emerged in the unlikeliest of places, it is a fitting tribute to the man and his philosophies. The wall is located in the neighborhood of Malostranska, near the French embassy.

Schmitt Music Wall in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Painted on the side of the old Schmitt Music Company building in downtown Minneapolis, this rendering of the piece "Gaspard de la Nuit" by Maurice Ravel is gigantic. The mural covers the entire facade on one side and rises five stories above street level. The project was meant to beautify the building and the Ravel piece was chosen by a company employee purely based on it's aesthetic qualities: the spaces between notes, the stacked dots and tails of the chords, the dynamic instructions written in Italian. In this painting, musical notation has transcended it's normal utilitarian purpose and become a stunning visual monument. Then again, most things are pretty impressive when they are enormous.

Elliott Smith Wall in Los Angeles, California

Featured prominently on Elliott Smith’s “Figure 8” album cover, this mural in Los Angeles became a memorial to the songwriter after his stabbing death in 2003. Similar to the Lennon Wall in Prague, Smith’s fans began scrawling lyric fragments and personal messages in and around the swirling red and black curves without disturbing the overall image of the painting. Unfortunately, the location on Sunset Boulevard makes this particular site a magnet for vandalism and the mural has had to be restored multiple times. The most recent restoration included the addition of a black and white stencil of Smith’s likeness which mirrors the "Figure 8" album cover.

Jamaican Music Mural in Kingston, Jamaica

Located on Water Street in downtown Kingston, this mural brightly depicts and celebrates the history of music in Jamaica from ancient times to modern. While relatively new compared to the other works in this list, it is more ambitious and comprehensive in attempting to capture centuries of musical evolution in a single cohesive painting. The work traces a thread from the animal-skinned drums of the past to the modern reggae movement.

"Hi, How Are You" Frog in Austin, Texas

Another mural that appears unrelated to music at first glance, the “Hi, How Are You” frog in Austin is deeply connected to one man’s musical career and exemplifies the often spoken pledge by residents to “Keep Austin Weird.” A similar image of the snail-eyed frog adorns the cover of Daniel Johnston’s 1983 release, “Hi, How Are You." In 1993, Johnston was commissioned to paint the large frog mural in downtown Austin on the wall of the now defunct Sound Exchange record store. As the building changed hands, public outcry managed to preserve the mural on multiple occasions (I'm sensing a theme here with public activism and mural art). Though Daniel Johnston was still largely unknown outside of Austin, the image of his frog became popular fare for shirts, buttons, bumper stickers, etc. In an indirect way, Kurt Cobain was responsible for bringing notoriety to the mural and Johnston's music as he was often photographed wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the likeness of the frog. Small world.