Inspired by Miles Davis
Miles Davis was a genius. Listening to his music, in my personal experience – to put it roughly – is like peeling an onion layer by layer. At first, the dissonances might even make you cry with their bitterness. But the deeper you go towards the core, the more you begin to understand something wonderful, insightful, and so delicious that it even confuses you.
Since Miles Davis’s career was so versatile and his musical range incredibly broad, you cannot speak of similar discoveries or insights across different decades of his music. His expression spanned from bebop to electric fusion jazz over a few decades. However, throughout these different eras, there is something recognizable that echoes. Within him lived a unique little universe of his own, a place where the listener can travel.
The discovery of the corners of this universe happens (at least for me) slowly. My first encounter with Miles Davis’s music happened over 25 years ago. However, I’ve been actively listening to his music for only about 6 years. A while ago, I created my own playlist on Spotify, featuring the tracks that resonated with me the most at that time. You can find the playlist here >>
Fragile and powerful
In all its richness, Miles Davis’s music also contained a great deal of tragedy. He suffered from heroin addiction, among other things. The world of a creative person always includes fragility and sensitivity, which ultimately lies at the core of all powerful expression. His playing style was both delicate and powerful. His playing style combined these elements: powerful expressiveness and fragility, creating a unique tension and beauty in the music. Discordant notes in a beautiful rose garden.
Tutu
My latest series of paintings, ”Tutu,” was created entirely while listening to Miles Davis’s music.
It is a tribute to a man whose music was complex, insightful, sad, joyful, captivating, and full of the essence of life—the same ingredients that life itself is made of. It contains layers, colors, and improvisation. Controlled chaos. Explosive joy of life and present shadows. Light.
See the series here >>
