William Anastasi (b. 1933)

William Anastasi questions the aesthetic norms of art with his theoretical approach to invoking senses other than sight in his studies of the subway, human movement, and music. In Musical Observations, Anastasi blindfolded himself while listening to classical music and painted the rhythms he heard, utilizing different colors, brushstrokes, and mediums to express his mind’s interpretation of the music. Anastasi believed that by going into art blind, the artist can let true ability unfold that is unclouded by conscious, pre-meditated, decision making.