“Almost there”: sonically controlled vibrators, sound, and emotions

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how practice-led research within the sonic practice references what Smith and Dean (2009) describe as the “The Iterative Cyclic Web,” and oscillations between different modes of research and practice throughout the methodology. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses this process to document the construction of a sonically based erotic artwork, “Almost there,” which used sonically controlled vibrators in order to generate vocal content. Findings The paper found that it was important to oscillate between modes of research and practice in order to create a conceptually concise artwork that functioned as a Gestalt of both practice and research. Originality/value The unique approach to audio collection within this sonic artwork, and the time taken to collect this source material, makes it a unique vehicle for the consideration of “The iterative Cyclic Web.”