On Space and Time in Music and the Visual Arts

The author notes that the concept of the interdependence of space and time is one of the most exciting ones in contemporary physics and philosophy. In works of art, there is also an interlocking of space and time, however, she points out that it does not involve problems of relativistic physics. She outlines the temporal and spatial aspects of music and of different kinds of visual art, such as static painting and sculpture, Op art and kinetic art. The differences between objective space and time, and psychological space and time are discussed as they pertain to these arts. She concludes that it is not correct to classify music as simply a 'temporal' art and the visual arts as 'spatial' arts, for in both of these art forms there is an interrelationship between time and space.