Jack Coulter: Belfast Artist Whose Synesthesia Turns Music into Masterpieces Gains Global Recognition
Belfast artist Jack Coulter, whose rare neurological condition of synesthesia allows him to experience music as colour and colour as sound, has achieved a level of international recognition that places him among the most celebrated Irish artists of his generation — with his works now held in the private collections of Sir Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, and the Freddie Mercury Estate, and his latest collaboration with Newry whiskey bonder Two Stacks drawing fresh attention to his extraordinary creative process.
Background
Jack Coulter, 32, grew up in Belfast and discovered his synesthesia — a condition in which stimulation of one sense automatically triggers an experience in another — as a child, when he realised that the music he heard produced vivid, involuntary colour experiences that other people did not share. Rather than treating this as a curiosity or a challenge, Coulter developed it into the foundation of an artistic practice that is genuinely unlike anything else in contemporary art.
His process involves listening to music — often live, often traditional Irish music — and translating the colours he experiences into large-scale abstract paintings that capture the emotional and sensory texture of the sound. The results are works of striking visual power that carry within them the specific character of the music that inspired them, even for viewers who do not share Coulter's synesthetic experience.
His reputation has grown steadily over the past decade, driven by a combination of critical recognition, high-profile collectors, and a social media presence that has brought his work to audiences far beyond the traditional art world. His recent exhibition at the London gallery Winsor Birch — titled With Every Light And With Every Song — ran until 9 August 2026 and attracted significant attention from collectors and critics.
Key Developments
Coulter's latest project, a collaboration with Two Stacks, the Newry-based whiskey bonder, was developed to celebrate the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann festival that took place in Belfast in August 2026. The collaboration involved Coulter painting live during a traditional music session at the Two Stacks warehouse in Newry, with musicians including Matt McGinn, Gino Lupari, John Cunningham, Gareth Hughes, and Matt Mancuso performing. The resulting artwork was featured on the labels of a limited-edition whiskey release titled The Artist Collection Vol. 1.
The project attracted significant media coverage, with the combination of traditional Irish music, contemporary art, and artisan whiskey production creating a narrative that resonated with audiences both in Ireland and internationally. The limited-edition bottles sold out within days of release, and the collaboration has been cited as a model for how Irish cultural institutions and businesses can work together to create products that carry genuine artistic and cultural value.
Coulter spoke about the experience of painting live during the music session, describing it as one of the most intense and rewarding creative experiences of his career. "Traditional Irish music has a particular quality of colour for me," he said. "It's warm and complex and full of movement. Trying to capture that on canvas in real time is both terrifying and exhilarating."
Why It Matters
Coulter's success is significant not just as an individual achievement but as a demonstration of what Belfast and Northern Ireland can produce in the creative arts. The city has a rich artistic tradition — in music, literature, theatre, and visual art — that has often been overshadowed by its political history. Artists like Coulter, who are gaining international recognition on the basis of their work rather than their background, are helping to reshape the narrative about what Belfast and Northern Ireland represent to the world.
The collaboration with Two Stacks also illustrates the potential for Irish creative industries to develop products and experiences that carry genuine cultural value and that can compete in international markets. The combination of traditional craft — whiskey production — with contemporary art is a model that other Irish businesses and cultural organisations could learn from.
Local Impact
In Belfast, Coulter's growing international profile has been a source of considerable pride. The city's arts community has celebrated his success, and his work has been featured in a number of public and private collections in Northern Ireland. The MAC arts centre in Belfast, which has been a supporter of his work, confirmed that it is in discussions with Coulter about a major solo exhibition in 2027 that would bring his international reputation home to the city where his artistic journey began. The Ulster Museum has also expressed interest in acquiring a work for its permanent collection.
What's Next
Coulter is currently working on a new body of work that will form the basis of his next major exhibition, expected to open in London in early 2027 before touring to Belfast and Dublin. The Two Stacks collaboration has generated interest from other whiskey and spirits producers in Ireland and Scotland, and further collaborations are understood to be in discussion. His work continues to attract collectors from across the world, and his profile on social media — where he shares his creative process with hundreds of thousands of followers — ensures that his audience continues to grow.
