The Melding of Art and Music in Media: The Role of Education Through Art and Music

 

Milan Mathew ¹, Dr. Aiswarya Lakshmi ²

 

¹ Student, Integrated M.A 2020 Batch, Department of English Language and Literature, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India

² Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Literature, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi, Kerala, India

 

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1.    Background and Research Context

Art and music have long been known to be powerful vehicles for emotional and intellectual expression. Their intersection in media creates new opportunities for sensory engagement, emotional experience, and educational change. This research examines emotional synesthesia, a condition in which disparate sensory

Inputs—such as visual art and sound—engage to produce intensified emotional experiences.

In particular, this paper examines how Van Gogh’s art, with its bold colors, swirling brushstrokes, and intense emotional depth, interacts with musical elements to evoke profound viewer responses. With advancements in digital media, immersive experiences such as Van Gogh Alive, Studio Ghibli’s animated storytelling, and AR/VR-based exhibitions showcase the potential of multimedia art in fostering emotional and cognitive development.

As educational systems are developing towards experiential and innovative learning, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight incorporating art and media in education. This research is concerned with:

·        SDG 4 (Quality Education): Upscaling emotional and cultural literacy through multimedia art.

·        SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Promoting inter-disciplinary collaboration among media, education, and the arts.

 

2. Emotional Synesthesia: The Intersection of Art and Music

Synesthesia, and specifically emotional synesthesia, happens when one sensory experience automatically provokes another, increasing emotional perception Cytowic (2018). Although neurological synesthesia is well-documented, its application to aesthetic experience is a developing field of study. Art and music, in combination, activate overlapping cognitive and emotional routes, leading to an increased sensory-emotional experience Ramachandran and Hubbard (2001).

 

3. Van Gogh's Artistic Synesthesia and Emotional Sublimity

Van Gogh's sweeping brushwork, dynamic groupings, and radiant color schemes transmit a sense of movement and rhythm, one to which some analysts compare the properties of music Dixon (2019). The frenetic swirling in The Starry Night or the throbbing glow of Sunflowers produces an affective power equivalent to that which music exercises upon perception and mood. Burke's (1757) sublime theory implies that intense art experiences, both visual and aural, have the capacity to induce awe, transcendence, and strong emotional involvement.

Van Gogh himself recognized the connection between color and music, stating in his letters that he wished his paintings to have the expressive richness of a symphony Naifeh and Smith (2011). Contemporary multimedia experiences such as Van Gogh Alive try to replicate this artistic synesthesia by coordinating his paintings with engaging music and animation.

 

4. Theoretical Frameworks: Multimodal Learning and Aesthetic Engagement

·        Multimodal Learning Theory Mayer (2009): Proposal that the integration of several sensory inputs (visual, auditory, textual) increases understanding, recall, and emotional engagement.

·        Aesthetic Engagement Theory (Dewey, 1934): Proposal that intense interaction with art and music promotes intellectual, emotional, and cultural insight, rendering it an important instrument in learning.

·        The Sublime in Art (Burke, 1757): Points out how overpowering sensory inputs can create tremendous emotional responses, a feature seen when experiencing rich multimedia narratives.

 

Case Studies: Multimedia Art and Emotional Learning

·        Van Gogh Alive: How synchronized music and animated visuals heighten emotional engagement with Van Gogh’s work.

·        Studio Ghibli’s Animated Films: The synergy between visual storytelling and Joe Hisaishi’s musical compositions in fostering emotional and cultural understanding.

·        Immersive AR/VR Exhibitions: The role of interactive environments in enhancing sensory learning and empathy.

 

5. Connecting Multimedia Art to SDG Goals

·        SDG 4 (Quality Education): Multimedia art and music education enhances emotional literacy, cross-cultural competence, and creative pedagogy.

·        SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Promotes partnerships among media, education, and arts industries to create inter-disciplinary learning strategies.

 

6. Methodology

6.1. Research Approach

This research is qualitative and theoretical in nature, with existing literature, multimedia case studies, and theoretical views being examined. The goal is to understand how the intersection of music and art in media creates emotional investment and sustains SDG-inspired educational programs.

 

6.2. Sources and Analytical Approach

1)    Textual and Visual Analysis

O Investigation of Van Gogh's letters, artworks, and academic interpretations to see how he saw color, music, and emotion as interconnected.

O Analysis of the aesthetic and emotional impact of Van Gogh’s brushwork and composition.

2)    Case Study Review

O Van Gogh Alive: Examining how this immersive digital exhibition creates a synesthetic experience by merging visuals and music.

O Studio Ghibli’s Animated Films: Evaluating how Joe Hisaishi’s scores amplify emotional storytelling through aesthetic engagement.

O AR/VR Immersive Art Installations: Understanding how interactive media deepens emotional and sensory learning.

3)    Theoretical Framework Application

O Multimodal Learning Theory: Investigating how the integration of visual and auditory stimuli increases perception and engagement.

O Aesthetic Engagement Theory: Examining how profound interaction with artistic and musical content leads to emotional and cultural literacy.

O The Sublime in Art: Examining how overwhelming art experiences (visual + auditory) produce an increased emotional and educational effect.

Justification for the Qualitative Approach

·        Because this research is not statistical or experimental, it does not entail numerical information or participant-based research.

·        Rather, it interprets the already-created artistic and multimedia works in order to make theoretical inferences regarding synergy between art and music in media-influenced education.

·        This approach is consonant with academic discussion in aesthetic philosophy, art theory, and media studies.

 

7. Analysis

1)    Van Gogh and Emotional Synesthesia in Multimedia Art

·        Van Gogh’s bold color contrasts and expressive textures evoke auditory sensations, creating an implicit musicality in his paintings.

·        Van Gogh Alive amplifies this by synchronizing visual movement with classical compositions, mimicking the synesthetic effect his art naturally evokes.

·        Viewers often report feeling "overwhelmed" or "transported", aligning with Burke’s notion of the sublime in art.

2)    Studio Ghibli’s Musical Storytelling and Emotional Engagement

·        Joe Hisaishi’s compositions in Ghibli films are known for enhancing mood, nostalgia, and emotional depth.

·        Sound and visuals work symbiotically, reinforcing cultural storytelling and emotional learning.

·        Example: Spirited Away’s score intensifies Chihiro’s emotional journey, illustrating how music deepens visual storytelling in animation.

3)    Immersive AR/VR Exhibitions and Emotional Education

·        AR/VR exhibitions use interactive engagement to create deep emotional connections with art and music.

·        Research indicates that immersive learning leads to increased empathy and retention, and AR/VR is thus an effective means of emotional literacy training (Slater et al., 2020).

·        Example: The Van Gogh VR Experience enables spectators to "enter" his artwork, reinforcing aesthetic experience and emotional response.

4)    Multimedia Art's Role in Promoting SDG Goals

·        SDG 4 (Quality Education):

O Developing emotional and cultural literacy through artful storytelling.

O Fostering experiential learning through multimedia engagement.

·        SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):

O Connecting media, art, and education to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

O encouraging institutions to incorporate immersive art into emotional education programs.

 

8. Conclusion

8.1. Key Findings

·        Art and music in combination provide a synesthetic, emotionally engaging experience, enhancing engagement and learning.

·        Van Gogh's art, combined with music, provokes an enhanced sensory response, revealing the potential for emotional synesthesia in multimedia narrative.

·        Case studies (Van Gogh Alive, Studio Ghibli, AR/VR exhibitions) demonstrate how emotionally charged media encourage empathy and educational enrichment.

 

8.2. Implications for SDG Goals

·        SDG 4: Employing multimedia experiences as part of education can make emotional intelligence and cultural awareness more effective.

·        SDG 17: Collaborations among media, educators, and artists can create new learning methods that combine artistic and musical narrative.

 

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

None. 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

 

REFERENCES

Cytowic, R. E. (2018). Synesthesia: A Union of the Senses. MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/10568.001.0001

Dixon, L. (2019). Van Gogh and the Sound of Color. Art & Perception, 7 (2), 120–137.

Mayer, R. (2009). Multimedia Learning: Cognitive Theory and Application. Cambridge University Press.

Naifeh, S., & Smith, G. W. (2011). Van Gogh: The Life. Random House.

Ramachandran, V. S., & Hubbard, E. M. (2001). Synaesthesia—A Window into Perception, Thought, and Language. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 8 (12), 3–34.