Vibrotactile materials in artistic performance

This project was a collaboration with Alex Murray-Lesile, Kaspar Lasn, and myself. Each of us coming from different fields at NTNU, we wanted to explore feedback and resonances in various materials, by using audio feedback techniques as the exploratory device. We utilized these methods to create new instruments for artistic performance. The methods and the process also gave us the opportunity to reflect upon the differences between a scientific measurement and and artistic exploration (of these materials, but supposedly the perspective might be transferrable to other domains of study). A process blog (closed) can be found at the github site.

Vibrotactile exploration of polycarbonate plate with flour

The project led to the construction of instruments for the performance “The Things We Need Feedback” (with a large number of collaborators) under the Only Connect festival 2021, and also to a series of contact feedback instruments used that I have used in many contexts since then. Alex and I wrote a chapter for Routledge, reflecting on selected parts of our working process. I also wrote about exploration of the feedback instruments in an issue of the Echo Journal.

Vibrotactile kelp instrument, with Amalia Wiatr-Lewis, from the performance “The Things We Need Feedback”

Tags: writing