Jack Coulter Translates the Music of Elton John, Amy Winehouse and More Into Abstract Paintings
The Irish artist returns with his first public exhibition in three years, presented by Winsor Birch in London.
Summary
Jack Coulter returns with his first public exhibition in three years, presenting 25 new abstract paintings in London.
Inspired by his synaesthesia, the works translate music by artists including The Beatles, Amy Winehouse and Olivia Dean into color, texture and movement.
The exhibition follows Coulter’s recent collaboration with Elton John and runs at Gallery 8 through August 9, 2026.
Jack Coulter is back in London with With Every Light and With Every Song, a new solo exhibition featuring 25 previously unseen abstract paintings.
Presented by Winsor Birch at Gallery 8 in St James’s, the show marks Coulter’s first public showcase in three years. The collection continues the artist’s exploration of the relationship between sound, color and emotion, with works inspired by musicians ranging from The Beatles and The Supremes to Amy Winehouse and Olivia Dean.
Coulter has synaesthesia, a neurological condition that causes him to experience sound as vivid color. Rather than creating exact visuals of individual songs, the artist uses melody as a starting point, translating the feelings behind the music through energetic layers of color, texture and movement. His approach draws from a long-standing interest in American Abstract Expressionism, including the work of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko. Coulter has also cited Joan Mitchell, a fellow synesthete who described the condition as her “secret magic,” as a major influence.
The exhibition follows Coulter’s recent live-painting performance with Sir Elton John. The collaboration produced a work inspired by “Tiny Dancer,” which was sold in March 2026 to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. “Jack’s paintings invite us to join him in seeing the world differently,” Elton John and David Furnish said in a joint statement, describing the new collection as “deeply personal and widely resonant.”
With Every Light and With Every Song is now on view at Gallery 8, 8 Duke Street, St James’s, London, through August 9. The exhibition is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free admission.
8 Duke Street
St James’s, London SW1Y 6BN
United Kingdom
