An inherent problem in contemporary acousmatic music is the intangibility of its sound sources and the detachment it can generate in non-expert audiences, which limits its public reach. The proposed research addresses this issue, seeking means for the ‘objectification’ of sound-based composition, whereby music, drawing and sculpture become a fully integrated multimodal art object which mobilises the aural, visual and tactile senses collectively and interactively in the aesthetic experience. 

Human perception is multisensory in nature. Neurons integrate signals across the senses as crossmodal associations. Some correspondences are naturally associated, like pitch and elevation, auditory volume and visual brightness, but crossmodal blending of mismatched stimuli (smell, touch, colour, and emotions) integrate into complex, hybridised sensory information, yielding richer aesthetic experiences. 

The application of such knowledge within artistic practice is an area rich with potential. My work aims to address this. Practice-based and transdisciplinary, it will involve the creation of artworks and installations responsive to interaction, investigating the multisensory interconnections — crossmodal associations or correspondences — between music, the visual arts and haptics, combining spatialized sound, 3D objects and user interfaces. In doing so it offers new ways of engaging audiences in the creative process.