Alfred curates exhibition highlighting sound and the visual arts

Brian Alfred, associate professor of art, is the curator of “Sound & Color,” a group exhibition at Miles McEnery Gallery in New York City that runs through December 19.

In his renowned podcast “Sound & Vision,” Alfred speaks to various artists and musicians about their creative process. He has found that music often plays a major role in the lives of artists, whether they are active performers or avid listeners.

“I have often said that music is an incredible parallel axis to art making in describing and understanding the creative process. They both have their idiosyncrasies, but they share much in the process,” he explained.

For the exhibition, Alfred has brought together artists who, in diverse ways, represent sound on the visual plane. The exhibition is an exploration of the ways in which artists grapple with picturing sound and its relationship to images, and how artists can use the element of sound to heighten the dynamics of an image.

The exhibition continues the art historical tradition of merging aural and visual creativity.

“From Manet’s ‘The Guitar Player,’ to Mary Cassatt’s ‘The Banjo Lesson,’ music has always been an artist’s muse,” Alfred said.

Miles McEnery Gallery, located at 511 West 22^nd Street, is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and by appointment.