Concerning the Musical in Art: The Visual Symphonies of Rita Blitt

Composer Series: A Visual Homage to Music

As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight.
—James McNeill Whistler

Throughout her career, Rita Blitt has been deeply inspired by musical composers, channeling the emotional resonance of their music into visual form. From Beethoven’s bold orchestral strokes to the melodic elegance of Rachmaninoff, Blitt’s visual compositions reflect the music that moved her. This section includes works honoring both classical and contemporary composers, as well as a deeply poignant sketchbook series that responds to the music of Jewish composers who died during the Holocaust, but whose music lives on.

Rhythm Series: Cadence on Canvas

A painter ... naturally seeks to apply the methods of music to his own art. And from this results that modern desire for rhythm in painting, for mathematical, abstract construction, for repeated notes of colour, for setting colour in motion.
—Wassily Kandinsky

Rhythm is a foundational element in both music and visual composition, providing structure and momentum in each discipline. Several of Rita Blitt’s rhythm-inspired works are directly tied to her experiences with live music. Kodo Drums was created during a performance by the renowned Japanese taiko drumming group Kodō and captures the visceral energy of their sound. Udow Percussion, inspired by her collaborations with American percussionist and composer Michael Udow, translates the complexity of his unique rhythms into bold, gestural marks on the canvas.

Dance Series: Music in Motion

Dance is music made visible.
—George Balanchine

Rita Blitt often describes her artistic process as “dancing on paper,” a phrase that speaks to the full-bodied, fluid, intuitive movements that define her work. Her unconventional technique of painting with both hands places movement, rather than visual outcome, at the center of her practice. It allows motion to guide her strokes, much like a dancer responding to music. Her fascination with movement extends to several collaborations with dancers. A notable example is Caught in Paint, her project with choreographer David Parsons, the Parsons Dance Company, and photographer Lois Greenfield. Throughout the film, Blitt paints the movements of the dancers in real time. The collaboration is reciprocal: as the dancers inspire Blitt’s brushstrokes, their choreography adapts in response to her marks.

The works in this section celebrate the synergy between dance and visual art, and highlight Blitt’s ability to translate the ephemeral nature of movement into tangible form. As you view her paintings, drawings, and sculptures, imagine them as artifacts of choreography, artworks in perpetual motion.

Musical Expression: The Spirit of Sound

Mankind has until now always tried to satisfy its need for the highest spiritual exaltation only in music. Only [musical] tones have been able to … transport us to the highest realms … yet color is just as capable as music of providing us with the highest ecstasies and delights.
—Morgan Russell and Stanton Macdonald-Wright

Beyond direct inspiration from composers or rhythmic structures, some of Rita Blitt’s works are more broadly influenced by the spirit of music itself. This section pairs her pieces with performances by legendary musicians from her hometown, Kansas City. While the featured performances did not directly inspire Blitt’s art, their music complements the expressive energy of each of her visual compositions. The musical selections range from jazz to rock to classical and mirror the diversity of Blitt’s own artistic influences. As you experience the paintings and performances, consider how music and visual art both share the ability to express the inexpressible and convey emotion, energy, and movement beyond words.