The Nexus of Textile and Sound

The research project investigates the nexus, i.e. the connection between textile and sound. The aesthetic potential in the combination of textile and sound is explored and novel ways of artistic expression will be found. Textile in its form of presentation and interpretation is an interactive medium and metaphor. Textile is material using certain techniques without naming the material or technology themselves, similar to architecture. The term sound includes the artistic areas of sound art, music, ambient noise, transacoustic areas and silence. Sound is based on a conceptual process of composition in relation to the organization of sounds, but also has a physical aspect cause the perception of sound is strongly linked to physical processes such as breath, movement and heart rate. The exploration of similarities, correlations and differences leads to new insights and perspectives in the nexus of the two non-visual disciplines. For example, what is an acoustic curtain, what is the textile analogy of a frequency? What is a rough, itchy sound and what is a loudly shouting fabric? How do both art forms deal with spaces, with interaction, how can they be conceptually intertwined and connected or: how can smart materials can be used to create a new understanding of our world? The connection of textiles and sound are smart textiles in interfaces, clothing or architecture. With the help of sensors and microprocessors, interactions with materials are used to link them to sound qualities and musical parameters. The digital sensor technology enables quality of materials and the interaction to be transferred to sound and vice versa. In this combination of textile and auditory art practice, tactile and haptic experiences are transformed and interpreted into sound and contacts are made audible. Results are shown in publications, also in concerts, interactive installations, exhibitions and performances.