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INTRODUCTION: The subject of this paper is a phenomenological study of cognitively plausible relationships between gesture and sound mediated by technologies. In this discussion, the term ‘gesture’ indicates a movement of the body consciously performed and able to express or communicate something. The expression ‘cognitively plausible’ refers to an interactive sound response that is immediate, continuously varying and enactively coherent with the generating (sonified)
gesture.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this paper are two. The first is an artistic exploration of gesture sonifications in various contexts. The second is rather methodological, i.e., to provide a possible general paradigm for Artistic Research (AR).

METHODS: More in detail, the AR phenomenological approach is modeled according to an Interaction Design (IxD) research paradigm.

RESULTS: A number of case studies of gesture sonification are presented and discussed according to the above methodological framework.

CONCLUSION: We claim that the introduction of such methodological framework was successful in terms of providing robust guidelines for our research and for a clear and structured presentation of its results.

The art of circus is a vibrant and competitive culture that embraces new tools and technology. In this paper, a series of exploratory design processes resulting in proofs of concepts are presented, showing strategies for effective use of three different modes of sonic interaction in contemporary circus. Each design process is based on participatory studio work, involving professional circus artists. All of the proofs of concepts have been evaluated, both with studio studies and public circus performances, taking the work beyond theoretical laboratory projects and properly engaging the practice and culture of contemporary circus.
The first exploration uses a contortionist’s extreme bodily manipulation as inspiration for sonic manipulations in an accompanying piece of music. The second exploration uses electric amplification of acoustic sounds as a transformative enhancement of existing elements of circus performance. Finally, a sensor based system of real-time sonification of body gestures is explored and ideas from the sonification of dance are translated into the realm of circus. [editor summary]