hear/here, gathering the commonplace:
towards a new understanding of affect and embodied encounter through constructing non-narrative sound installation
ana gabrielle rutter
A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Birmingham City University
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
The Faculty of Art Design and Media
February 2025
Notes for the reading/experiencing on the Research Catalogue platform:
- This Title, Abstract and Contents page has my voice(audio) and a text of the title and abstract and has links to all the thesis chapters on the right-hand side (‘bluer’ hyperlinks which are underlined on hover)
- The introduction page has a voice and text ‘intro’, as do the field and methodology pages which additional have voice and text ‘conclusions’. Subsequent practice chapters have ‘intro’ and ‘conclusion’ as voice with the text as a ‘pop up’ (hover over player). The ‘intros’ will play once automatically as you enter the chapter (in some browsers you may need to allow this), the ‘conclusions’ is triggered by the reader. The players for these are in the ‘links’ panel. (The Conclusion chapter has no voice(audio))
- All chapters contain multiple elements, there are ‘links’ panel in each chapter with hyperlinks to areas of the page based around text elements (some to appendices) and a link back to the ‘contents’ page. The ‘work’ elements visible on the page and links in the text when specific elements referred to. Information for audio, video and image elements will appear on hover, the controls are available so you can play, stop or change volume. Some text elements have scroll bars.
- Background ‘gathering’ audio will play as you enter the page and run continuously, the controller for this will be in the bottom left-hand corner on the page if you wish to change or mute the volume.
Abstract:
This practice research PhD employs concerns of affect theory, sound/fine art, aural ecologies and emergent praxis, while utilising an embodied crip/neurodivergent approach. Investigating sound and affect through the lens of Masumi’s description of microperceptions (from Leibnitz) and linking this to the multifacetedness of aural ecologies. Working with/through gathered materials, exploring initially microperceptions as triggers ofnon-conscious affective response, and through the praxis adding other elements that inform the making of original artworks as sites of affective encounter.
This is a constantly developing, heuristic following, through tests and experimentation for the unfolding of a unique approach to research and creation of fine art works that explore and explicate my/our non-conscious affective response to our quotidian sonic environment. Drawing on Deleuze and Guattari’s Smooth and Striated symbiotic spaces, to create a scaffolding for working with; affecting slippery ‘stuff’, this bodymind, and to maintain the affecting qualities of the materials.
The praxis centres on gathered sounds and images from spaces/situations, where these are less importantthan the small things that might be occurring within them. The sites/titles of gathering; Early Tests & Experiments, The Cairngorms, Dyffryn, About, Coventry, The Dyffryn Book and Gathering Closer. From these audio-visual works have been constructed and exhibited investigating affect and embodied encounter.
This submission, recognising and exploring the porosity/permeability of sounds/spaces/time/bodies/affects, is a drawing together of materials gathered across the research and considering new knowledge/approaches in an exhibition and Research Catalogue expositions as sites for the thesis, which sets the practice in its research context.
Links to:
Chapter Four
Early Tests & Experiments: developing an approach through praxis.
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Dyffryn: a site of speculative research and exploring permeable boundaries.
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Coventry: The Twin, exploring haecceities and quiddities.
Chapter Nine
The Dyffryn Book: a revisiting (in very specific times) and experiencing of permeability.