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Blake, Wm. Enoch. 1806.

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An abstract artist with the condition synesthesia is now using AI and collaborating with musicians to turn the colors he “hears” in his paintings into music.

With the help of an AI expert, artist Shane Guffogg engineered a visual alphabet that linked colors to the musical chords he heard when he saw them. The technology could then analyze paintings and generate music based on particular colors, effectively “reading” the paintings.

Guffogg said when he heard the music played back to him, it brought tears to his eyes. “There it is.”

The innovative art-music fusion has been showcased globally, including a live sonata performance at the Venice Biennale.

Shane Guffogg: “It's not a means to an end. Still, it opened up many possibilities and enhanced my creative process. I don't know if I could have unlocked the musicality in my paintings in a real way without it.”