What fascinates archaeologists who scour ancient human habitats? I think cave art.
Pictographs of the early hunt depict life in motion. Certainly, art evolved in both technique and topic to capture both architecture and landscape.
But I would propose that forward-thinking pioneers utilized pigments to capture raw emotions and/or evoke a reaction.
So I cite Jackson Pollack and others who infused a kinetic energy via untried methodology.
Relevant to any discussion of inventive technology, I reference a painter who instills a visceral interpretation of music via bursts of chromatic energy: Jose Acosta.
While Jose is masterful in conception and execution of incredible subjects, a portfolio of his works reproduces a discography of music appreciation.
He faithfully builds a layering of texture, color and swirling energies, as does any musical genre, with a format of intro-chorus-bridge.
Here we have a musically inclined painter who shapes melodies and structures tubes of pigment into visual depictions of sound.
So without further ado, Mr. Jose Acosta.
Joe Caplan: Your paintings are known for their bright colors and vibrant energy. If those colors had a soundtrack, what would it be?
Jose Acosta: Any music that is upbeat and has a rhythm that makes your body want to dance.
JC: Do you ever think of certain colors as having musical qualities? Is yellow jazz, red salsa, blue the blues?
JA: I have never thought of colors relating to music; they just need to perform well together.
Jose Acosta.
JC: When you're mixing paint on your palette, does it feel like mixing sounds to find the right chord or harmony?
JA: I am always listening to music when I create my art and mixing my colors. I am just having fun and enjoying all. Music adds to the experience of creating art.
On Cuban Heritage and Rhythm
JC: There's a strong influence of your native Cuba in the happiness and bright colors of your paintings. Does Cuban music – son cubano, salsa, rumba – influence your visual rhythm?
JA: All of the above and jazz as well.
JC: Do you paint differently when you're listening to Cuban music versus other genres?
JA: I enjoy listening to music while I paint but do not feel that I paint differently as to the music being played.
JC: Is there a painting of yours that feels most "musical" in its energy? What was happening while you were painting it?
JA: My Wife Orsola and I attended a concert in Kingston, New York and we loved the music, and we became friends with the band leader Rudy. I later created the painting Los Tainos and I gifted it to Rudy. I would also use Rudy’s band for several art opening events in Kingston and Poughkeepsie, NY.
La Orquesta de los Tainos, album cover.
On Movement and Energy
JC: Your work features swirling figures and dynamic compositions – does that movement come from a musical place? Are you painting dancers, or painting the music itself?
JA: I paint the feeling of having fun and enjoying life. Music happens to be very important in my life so I paint dancing figures, bands, night clubs etc.
JC: When you're working on a piece with lots of motion, do you physically move differently – like a conductor or a drummer?
JA: Yes I move to the rhythm of the songs and enjoy the music. I do not give it much thought. It just comes naturally.
JC: If someone looked at one of your paintings, could they "hear" the tempo you were feeling when you made it?
I think so, as I have gotten many compliments on the swirling figures and energy of my painting during my art events.
Above: Concert, Musica, and Elton.
On Process and Inspiration
JC: Do you paint in silence, or does music fuel your creative process? What's on your studio playlist?
JA: All kinds of music: Celia Cruz, Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban music, Elton John, Maxima Alerta, Johnny Cash, Steve Earle and too many other artists to list.
JC: Has a specific song ever sparked a painting, or has a painting ever made you think, "this needs its own song?”
JA: “Staying Alive,” is a painting about Cuban boat rafters coming to the USA. I had the title first, but I did play the Bee Gees’ music during some of the time I was creating the painting. The Staying Alive painting now belongs to the University of Pennsylvania art collection and is displayed in their art library.
JC: Do different stages of a painting – sketching, blocking colors, details – need different types of music, or does one soundtrack carry you through?
JA: I have a few soundtracks that I love and can hear over and over again, like the Bob Dylan 30th anniversary concert with him as well as different artists singing his songs. Most of the CDs I have I will play over and over again while painting. But sometimes while painting, I am so absorbed in the process that the music ends and I continue painting for a while without noticing that the music [has] stopped.
Above: Staying Alive, and Celebration.
On Emotion and Expression
JC: You paint from your heart and express hope and happiness in your creations. Does music do the same thing for you emotionally?
JA: I have loved dancing since I was very young, and music has always made me very happy. My paintings come from a happy place in my heart, so I do not paint when sad or overwhelmed. Fortunately for me that God has always blessed me so most of the time I am very happy with life.
JC: Can a painting be joyful in the same way a song can, or do they access different kinds of happiness?
JA: Paintings and music can be joyful and I have gotten lots of joy from both. Attending art events and viewing art from my fellow artists is always uplifting, the same feeling as when one of your favorite songs is played on the radio.
JC: When you're painting struggles and dreams – the human condition – do certain songs help you tap into that emotional truth?
JA: The struggles of humanity is in my subconscious and always there, so I do not need music to access it. Dreams are different as they come from inspiration, and so many songs inspire me. There is a very great saying, “treat others as you would like to be treated,” and if most people tried to do this, we would all live in a better world.
On Cultural Identity
JC: You're Cuban-American and that dual identity shows in your work. Does your musical taste reflect both cultures equally, or does one dominate?
JA: My musical taste is all over, from Latin music to country, rock, jazz, classical, [and more]. I came to America when I was two years old and I am very fortunate to share both worlds.
JC: Is there a difference between "American" visual energy and "Cuban" visual energy in your paintings? Does the same apply to music?
JA: To me all energy is the same. Once you get an idea in your head it takes a life of its own. Some works come naturally and others I struggle with, but at end, the painting has to please me. I paint for myself, not for a customer; that is why I do not do commissions.
JC: If you were curating a gallery show of your work, what would the opening night playlist sound like?
JA: I have curated many of my shows and they included Cuban food, drinks, and dancing. I’ve hired bands and my art events [became] well known for drawing large amounts of people. COVID Changed all that, as large numbers of people were not allowed. I hope to create another large art exhibit in the future with music, art and dance for all to enjoy.
Miami.
On Collaboration and Community
JC: Have you ever collaborated with musicians with projects like doing live painting during a performance, or creating album art?
JA: The “Los Tainos” painting I gave to Rudy he later used as a CD cover. My art takes too much time to do [as] performance art – some of my works have used over 60 tubes of paints, and that takes some time.
JC: If you could paint a portrait of any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?
JA: That would be Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan as I do admire them both very much.
JC: Does a vibrant, energetic crowd at an art opening feel similar to the energy at a live concert?
JA: [It’s a] similar energy [as a] music concert, especially if there is music at the event. I love to see guests enjoying the art and dancing at my events. But some concerts have mosh pits, an energy that I would not want in my art exhibits.
On Influence and Icons
JC: You've painted figures like JFK, Jim Morrison, Albert Einstein, Tony Montana. Do these subjects have "sonic signatures" in your mind when you paint them? Are there musicians whose visual aesthetic influences your painting style?
JA: All of Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Celia Cruz, the Bee Gees, and so many others.
On Dreams and Vision
JC: You envision a future world where we all live in peace, harmony, and abundance. What does that world sound like?
JA: Many different types of music that would be enjoyed by all. I have many times come across singers on Facebook, singing in different languages that I do not understand, but the song is sung so beautifully that I listen and enjoy it so much. Music and art are very powerful and universal.
JC: If your paintings could make sound when people looked at them, what would viewers hear?
JA: I love the strings in [classical[ music so I would hope for that feeling.
JC: Is there a piece you've created that you wish had a permanent soundtrack attached to it? What would it be?
JA: No, I would hope that the piece talks to each individual in their own way. If inspires or makes someone happier, all the better.
Wild Cards
JC: If you had to choose between losing your ability to see color or losing your ability to hear music, which would devastate you more?
JA: The ability to hear music would be most important to me.
JC: Have you ever been so moved by music that you had to stop painting and just listen, or does it always push you forward?
JA: When I paint I play familiar music I have heard many times before, so that has never happened to me.
JC: What's the visual equivalent of a perfect song – a painting where everything just clicks?
JA: In music most of the time I can tell the hits the first time I hear them on the radio. They just make a great impression on me. Some paintings and sculptures do the same thing.
Story.
Header image: The Dance. All images courtesy of Jose Acosta.
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