Deep Flow: a tentacular worlding of dance, biosensor technology, lived experience and embodied materials of the human and non-humankind

How to find relations between lived experience and biosensor technology in dance practice? This PaR presents a novel methodology, tentacular worlding, to explore Embodied Dance practice as lived experience, using phenomenological methods and biosensor technologies to better understand experiential aspects of dance more fully, by looking inwardly. It challenges dance practice intersecting with biosensors that visualise invisible physiological events such as heart rate, in external mediated environments, to which dancer’s respond. These ocularcentric practices illustrate only certain aspects of a dancer’s bodily engagement with technology thereby privileging vision over bodily experience. Looking outwardly neglects the vast storehouse of lived experiences that technologies used instrumentally, cannot capture. To explore the strategy of looking inwardly, a relational methodological approach tentacular worlding is applied. This inspires an interdisciplinary study of the human body in dance practice, phenomenology, technology, and ecofeminist posthumanism. Phenomenological dance methods are used to; explore whole bodily experiences; investigate bodily interactions with differing environments; and discover human relations with biosensor technologies and differing materials. It challenges ocularcentrism by blindfolding the practitioner to augment bodily sensing in the absence of visual information. Multimodal qualitative and quantitative methods are used to interpret these experiences and methods of analysis emphasise tentacular relations between lived experience, the heart, and biometric data. Tentacular worlding gave birth to the Embodied Dance practice Deep Flow, to foreground relations between lived and bodily experiencing, meditation, fascia release and heart rate variability. By looking inwardly, within an ecology of embodied experience, visible and invisible, tangible, and intangible materials, Deep Flow collapses binary notions of inside and outside, subject and object, an embodied materiality. It proposes; a return to bodily experience and embodied states of flow, to construct knowledge from a first-person perspective and to explore the complexity of relations between the heart, the human and nonhuman

Composing with soundscapes : capturing and analysing urban audio for a Raw Musical interpretation

The sound environment is increasingly more relevant in contemporary culture. It is a ‘picture’ of a place, an X-ray of its character and activities, shapeless and amorphous, whilst full of meanings and subtleties. It is a transmission that is complementary to what a picture retains and transports. Therefore it is a unique, tangible impression of the place to which it belongs, and intrinsically, its history, and that of the people who inhabit it, and their relations. Murray Schafer termed this element as Soundscape. Although always a present element, it was only from the end of the Twentieth Century that it has been studied in a systematic way, initially in a more ecological and socio-cultural function approach, but slowly it has been seen as an artistic tool, both in direct use of the sounds as well as being an inspiration, and a starting point, for creation. The exploratory research project presented here aims to study the capture and analysis of the urban soundscape, with a special focus on its temporal evolution, and its application in the creative and artistic context. At the first stage, we try to understand how and, if possible, to capture and represent the most challenging part of this massive sound element, which is its constant changing on the time axis. Grasping its nuances on both small and large time scales. The second phase is to understand the pertinence of such information and its direct influence in the act of music and sonic creation. To achieve these goals a multidisciplinary approach based on two main pillars was necessary: Soundscape and Computer Music. These disciplines determine the scientific areas in which this research had to be focused. Due to the fact that this thesis has a relatively broad scope of interests, there is a survey of the state of the art relating to projects and approaches that relate to the interests of this investigation in different ways. In areas such as: Music Information Retrieval, Algorithmic Composition, Eco Composition, and Sound Maps. This survey confirms the contemporaneity, relevance and originality of the project, both scientifically and artistically. In order to evaluate the proposed approach to the soundscape, URB, an experimental system to capture, analyse and store the urban soundscape was developed and implemented. The system is based on current technology, but is affordable and robust. To ensure the sustainability of the project, development was based in open source technology, to ensure the possibility of the project expanding and shaping according to the interests and needs of specific places, populations, research centres and/or artistic interests. Three main goals have guided the development of this system: addressing the lack of temporal perspective of the sound representation of urban spaces; the design of a free and autonomous system that depends only on the users, which results in a public free access database; to facilitate and systematize the access to data on the sound characteristics of an urban soundscape for both ecological studies as well as for creative and artistic purposes. A server keeps a record of the collected data, which can either be read directly, through an application developed for this purpose, or through a visual interface with a time-line approach, but always allowing for the possibility of creating original access tools that best serve the user’s purposes. After implementing the system, through four listening points, and confirming its robustness, we advance to the system’s application in the development of artistic works. For this purpose a challenge was proposed to a number of artists with distinct aesthetic backgrounds and training. This challenge resulted in different works that were presented to the public in different formats and media, such as works for classical instrumental, electro-acoustic works, improvisational moments with real-time sonification of the soundscape, sonic installations and sculptures powered by the system presented. This practice leads to a fundamental reflection in this research. We describe the different approaches chosen by each creator and primarily assess the pertinence in the artistic result of using a continuous and discrete system of urban soundscape analysis, from a creator’s point of view as well as from a listener’s point of view. With this research we are able to present a functional approach to the lack of temporal perspective in the usual sound maps that focus on the geographic origin of the recordings. We conclude that soundscapes can provide useful data for artistic creation and we promote a direct connection between that kind of approach and the artists. Even before the works developed and the artist’s feedback, whilst not ignoring the different approaches and opinions, we can conclude that this approach seems to promote new and functional soundscape composition ideas, making URB a relevant resource to compose original soundscape based music. Also, through analysis of the pieces, we could point out patterns of the technical and artistic choices on how to deal with information from the soundscape data, both in deferred time and real-time.A paisagem sonora é cada vez mais relevante na cultura contemporânea. É uma ‘fotografia’ de um lugar. Uma radiografia ao seu carácter e atividades, simultaneamente disforme e amorfa como repleta de significados e subtilezas. Uma transmissão complementar ao que a imagem retém e transporta. É portanto uma impressão única , tangível do lugar a que pertence e, intrinsecamente , da sua história , das pessoas que o habitam, das suas relações. Murray Schafer batizou este elemento como Soundscape (Paisagem Sonora). E embora tenha sido sempre um elemento presente, só a partir do final do séc. XX é que tem vindo a ser estudado de uma forma sistematizada, inicialmente numa abordagem mais ecológica e das suas funções socioculturais, mas lentamente encarado como uma ferramenta artística tanto no uso direto dos sons, como sendo o ponto de partida de inspiração para a criação. O projeto de investigação de carácter exploratório que aqui apresentamos visa o estudo da recolha e análise da paisagem sonora urbana, com especial enfoque na sua evolução temporal e da sua aplicação no contexto criativo artística. Como tal, numa fase inicial, procurar entender como e, se possível, capturar e representar o elemento mais desafiante que é a permanente mutação sonora no eixo temporal, apreendendo as suas nuances tanto numa escala de tempo diminuta como em grandes escalas temporais. Numa segunda fase entender a pertinência desta informação e da sua influência direta no ato da criação musical e sonora. Para cumprir estes objectivos foi necessária uma abordagem multidisciplinar fundamentada em dois pilares principais: Paisagem-Sonora e Informática Musical. Estas disciplinas determinam as áreas científicas em que esta investigação se debruçou. Tendo esta tese um âmbito de interesses relativamente amplo, há um levantamento do estado da arte referente a projetos e abordagens de áreas distintas que ,de diferentes formas , se relaciona com os interesses da nossa investigação. Em áreas como: Musical Information Retrieval, Composição Algorítmica, Eco Composição, Mapas Sonoros. Este levantamento confirma a atualidade, a pertinência e a originalidade do projeto, tanto cientificamente como artisticamente. A fim de avaliar a abordagem proposta à paisagem sonora, foi desenvolvido e posto em prática um sistema experimental de captura, análise e armazenamento de ambiente sonoro urbano, de nome URB. Sistema esse baseado em tecnologia atual, mas acessível e robusta para garantir a sustentabilidade do projeto e apoiado em desenvolvimento código aberto para garantir a possibilidade do projeto se expandir e se moldar de acordo com os interesses e necessidades concretas de locais, populações, centros de investigação e interesses artísticos. Três objetivos principais guiaram o desenvolvimento deste sistema: colmatar a falta de perspectiva temporal em grande escala de uma representação sonora de um espaço urbano; o desenho de um sistema que livre e autónomo, que apenas dependa dos utilizadores, que resulte numa base de dados de acesso público e gratuito; facilitar e sistematizar o acesso à informação sobre as caraterísticas sonoras de um ambiente sonoro urbano tanto para estudos ecológicos como para função criativa e artística. É mantido num servidor o registo de toda a informação recolhida, que tanto pode ser consultado diretamente, através de uma aplicação desenvolvida para o efeito, através de um interface visual ao estilo de linha temporal, deixando sempre a possibilidade para a criação de ferramentas de acesso originais que sirvam melhor os propósitos do utilizador. Após a implementação do sistema, através de quatro pontos de escuta, e a confirmação da sua robustez, avançamos para a aplicação do sistema no desenvolvimento de obras artísticas. Para tal, foi lançado um desafio a um conjunto de artistas que partem de diferentes formações e identidades estéticos. Esse desafio resultou em diferentes obras que foram apresentadas ao público com diferentes formatos e suportes, como obras integralmente para formatos instrumentais clássicos, obras electroacústicas, momentos de improvisação em tempo real com a sonorização do ambiente sonoro, instalações e esculturas sonoras alimentadas pelo sistema apresentado. Desta prática resulta uma reflexão fundamental nesta investigação. Descrevemos as diferentes abordagens escolhidas por cada criador e acima de tudo avaliamos a pertinência no resultado artístico do uso de um sistema contínuo e discreto de análise de ambiente sonoro urbano, tanto do ponto de vista do criador como do ponto de vista do ouvinte. A partir desta investigação, apresentamos uma abordagem funcional para a falta de perspectiva temporal nos mapas sonoros clássico que incidem principalmente sobre as origens geográfica das gravações. Concluímos que as paisagens sonoras podem fornecer dados úteis para a criação artística e promovemos uma conexão direta entre essa abordagem e os artistas. Perante os trabalhos e análises desenvolvidos por diferentes criadores, concluímos que esta aproximação promove ideias novas e funcionais para a composição. Além disso, através da análise de peças, apontamos padrões nas escolhas técnicas e estéticas sobre como lidar com as informações a partir dos dados da paisagem sonora, tanto em tempo diferido como em tempo real

The role of artists in the public realm: an investigation into artists' generative processes in context.

A shift in practice towards a process-orientated and collaborative art practice within the strands of art practice in the public realm raises the question, what is the practical contribution artists make to society' which can only be answered by first understanding how artists work. Introducing the concepts of context, artist-led and residency with reference to the Artists Placement Group, the problematics of assessing the social contribution of context-specific art practices are presented as resting upon two difficulties, the conceptual gulf between the artworld and the public realm and the assumption that artists can or should not articulate their intentions for an artwork. Combining questions raised from practice with the problems outlined by Suzanne Lacy, the need for research into the generative process of public artists is established. The purpose of the research is to investigate and develop artists understanding of the generative process by examining the interaction of artists in contexts in the public realm and to make that information explicit. An appropriate methodology and theoretical framework is found by critically reviewing recent related practice-based research projects in Art and Design with special attention to the work of Ian Hunter on immersion strategies in rural contexts. The model of the artistic process as problem-solving, developed by J. Getzels and M. Csikszentmihalyi , is also examined against current theories in scientific research into creativity and theories of social policy problem-setting of Donald Schon and the pattern of inquiry by John Dewey and subsequently extended. Data was generated by recording the decisions and reflections of three artists carrying out an actual artist-led context-specific project in the public realm (Taming Goliath). Data gathered by using a specially adapted method (Sweatbox) were analysed by using the Generative Process Model. The results produced narratives which describe each artists experience and information on the methods artists use to interact with a context in the public realm, their intentions. The significance of the findings and the experience are discussed in relation to the work of Suzanne Lacy and Allan Kaprow with recommendations for further research. In conclusion, four areas contributing to knowledge are proposed: the extension of the Generative Process Model, the development of an methodology of analysis, the usage of the Sweatbox method and contributions to the body of knowledge of artists processes in the public realm

The Perception of Sonic Environments: Representing Soundscapes in Semi-Open Spaces

What we hear plays a crucial role in our experience of the outdoors; however, cities have long been polluted with unwanted sound levels. Semi-open spaces are most critically affected yet also provide spatial capabilities to lessen the perceived impact of noise. In response, soundscape studies view sound as a resource to be explored rather than inhibited, placing the listener's perception and awareness at the forefront of evaluating sonic environments. The research presented in this dissertation aims to understand the relationships between soundscape evaluations and design preferences for the outdoor environment, particularly in semi-open spaces. A user-interactive approach exposes the participant to visual representation methods from a reflection of the literature on the perceptual process of sound stimuli and historical modes of analysing sound. The sonic and spatial characteristics studied will be drawn from a series of soundwalks that evaluate semi-open spaces. The research is thus interested in discrepancies found in soundscape appraisals due to visual differences in the representations, including visual renders, raytracing diagrams, and heatmap animations. The results confirm the influence of visual preferences on soundscape judgments and further reveal the impact of listener sensitivities to sounds. The findings respond to suggestions that affective responses to the outdoor environment can be described dimensionally, which strongly correlate with participant design responses perceived to improve the sonic environment. Promoting user engagement and soundscapes analysis may provide new data on personal expectations and preferences in the design workflow. For this reason, perhaps designers can develop ways towards a holistic approach that can communicate the qualities of the environment to the participant and, in turn, place the end user at the centre of the workflow, delicately balancing the built environment with the overlap of daily activities

Keepers of the Port: Visualising Place and Identity in a Dublin Dock Community

This practice-based thesis responds to the absence of documentary film or photographic studies and scholarship that embrace the contrasting experiences of different dock working constituencies in the transforming early twenty-first century space of Dublin Port. It is a filmic investigation into how the experiences and memories of this community of workers in Dublin’s surviving port space shape their urban identity and sense of place, undertaken with regard to the sensuous, haptic qualities of documentary and ethnographic filmmaking. In the ever-shifting world of neoliberalism, its narratives – in relation to labour practices – prioritise faceless markets over the humanity of working life. Therefore, in an attempt to interrogate the lived experiences and memories of working life and how these are central to the shaping of identity, the research is framed within the context of contrasting constituencies within the port community – dockers, crane drivers, stevedores, marine operatives and port managers

Estimating Footfall From Passive Wi-Fi Signals: Case Study with Smart Street Sensor Project

Measuring the distribution and dynamics of the population at granular level both spatially and temporally is crucial for understanding the structure and function of the built environment. In this era of big data, there have been numerous attempts to undertake this using the preponderance of unstructured, passive and incidental digital data which are generated from day-to-day human activities. In attempts to collect, analyse and link these widely available datasets at a massive scale, it is easy to put the privacy of the study subjects at risk. This research looks at one such data source - Wi-Fi probe requests generated by mobile devices - in detail, and processes it into granular, long-term information on number of people on the retail high streets of the United Kingdom (UK). Though this is not the first study to use this data source, the thesis specifically targets and tackles the uncertainties introduced in recent years by the implementation of features designed to protect the privacy of the users of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices. This research starts with the design and implementation of multiple experiments to examine Wi-Fi probe requests in detail, then later describes the development of a data collection methodology to collect multiple sets of probe requests at locations across London. The thesis also details the uses of these datasets, along with the massive dataset generated by the ‘Smart Street Sensor’ project, to devise novel data cleaning and processing methodologies which result in the generation of a high quality dataset which describes the volume of people on UK retail high streets with a granularity of 5 minute intervals since August 2015 across 1000 locations (approx.) in 115 towns. This thesis also describes the compilation of a bespoke ‘Medium data toolkit’ for processing Wi-Fi probe requests (or indeed any other data with a similar size and complexity). Finally, the thesis demonstrates the value and possible applications of such footfall information through a series of case studies. By successfully avoiding the use of any personally identifiable information, the research undertaken for this thesis also demonstrates that it is feasible to prioritise the privacy of users while still deriving detailed and meaningful insights from the data generated by the users

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION WITH PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSORS. THE AESTHETIC DOMAIN OF WEARABLES AND NEURAL NETWORKS

Historically, communication implies the transfer of information between bodies, yet this phenomenon is constantly adapting to new technological and cultural standards. In a digital context, it’s commonplace to envision systems that revolve around verbal modalities. However, behavioural analysis grounded in psychology research calls attention to the emotional information disclosed by non-verbal social cues, in particular, actions that are involuntary. This notion has circulated heavily into various interdisciplinary computing research fields, from which multiple studies have arisen, correlating non-verbal activity to socio-affective inferences. These are often derived from some form of motion capture and other wearable sensors, measuring the ‘invisible’ bioelectrical changes that occur from inside the body. This thesis proposes a motivation and methodology for using physiological sensory data as an expressive resource for technology-mediated interactions. Initialised from a thorough discussion on state-of-the-art technologies and established design principles regarding this topic, then applied to a novel approach alongside a selection of practice works to compliment this. We advocate for aesthetic experience, experimenting with abstract representations. Atypically from prevailing Affective Computing systems, the intention is not to infer or classify emotion but rather to create new opportunities for rich gestural exchange, unconfined to the verbal domain. Given the preliminary proposition of non-representation, we justify a correspondence with modern Machine Learning and multimedia interaction strategies, applying an iterative, human-centred approach to improve personalisation without the compromising emotional potential of bodily gesture. Where related studies in the past have successfully provoked strong design concepts through innovative fabrications, these are typically limited to simple linear, one-to-one mappings and often neglect multi-user environments; we foresee a vast potential. In our use cases, we adopt neural network architectures to generate highly granular biofeedback from low-dimensional input data. We present the following proof-of-concepts: Breathing Correspondence, a wearable biofeedback system inspired by Somaesthetic design principles; Latent Steps, a real-time auto-encoder to represent bodily experiences from sensor data, designed for dance performance; and Anti-Social Distancing Ensemble, an installation for public space interventions, analysing physical distance to generate a collective soundscape. Key findings are extracted from the individual reports to formulate an extensive technical and theoretical framework around this topic. The projects first aim to embrace some alternative perspectives already established within Affective Computing research. From here, these concepts evolve deeper, bridging theories from contemporary creative and technical practices with the advancement of biomedical technologies.Historicamente, os processos de comunicação implicam a transferência de informação entre organismos, mas este fenómeno está constantemente a adaptar-se a novos padrões tecnológicos e culturais. Num contexto digital, é comum encontrar sistemas que giram em torno de modalidades verbais. Contudo, a análise comportamental fundamentada na investigação psicológica chama a atenção para a informação emocional revelada por sinais sociais não verbais, em particular, acções que são involuntárias. Esta noção circulou fortemente em vários campos interdisciplinares de investigação na área das ciências da computação, dos quais surgiram múltiplos estudos, correlacionando a actividade nãoverbal com inferências sócio-afectivas. Estes são frequentemente derivados de alguma forma de captura de movimento e sensores “wearable”, medindo as alterações bioeléctricas “invisíveis” que ocorrem no interior do corpo. Nesta tese, propomos uma motivação e metodologia para a utilização de dados sensoriais fisiológicos como um recurso expressivo para interacções mediadas pela tecnologia. Iniciada a partir de uma discussão aprofundada sobre tecnologias de ponta e princípios de concepção estabelecidos relativamente a este tópico, depois aplicada a uma nova abordagem, juntamente com uma selecção de trabalhos práticos, para complementar esta. Defendemos a experiência estética, experimentando com representações abstractas. Contrariamente aos sistemas de Computação Afectiva predominantes, a intenção não é inferir ou classificar a emoção, mas sim criar novas oportunidades para uma rica troca gestual, não confinada ao domínio verbal. Dada a proposta preliminar de não representação, justificamos uma correspondência com estratégias modernas de Machine Learning e interacção multimédia, aplicando uma abordagem iterativa e centrada no ser humano para melhorar a personalização sem o potencial emocional comprometedor do gesto corporal. Nos casos em que estudos anteriores demonstraram com sucesso conceitos de design fortes através de fabricações inovadoras, estes limitam-se tipicamente a simples mapeamentos lineares, um-para-um, e muitas vezes negligenciam ambientes multi-utilizadores; com este trabalho, prevemos um potencial alargado. Nos nossos casos de utilização, adoptamos arquitecturas de redes neurais para gerar biofeedback altamente granular a partir de dados de entrada de baixa dimensão. Apresentamos as seguintes provas de conceitos: Breathing Correspondence, um sistema de biofeedback wearable inspirado nos princípios de design somaestético; Latent Steps, um modelo autoencoder em tempo real para representar experiências corporais a partir de dados de sensores, concebido para desempenho de dança; e Anti-Social Distancing Ensemble, uma instalação para intervenções no espaço público, analisando a distância física para gerar uma paisagem sonora colectiva. Os principais resultados são extraídos dos relatórios individuais, para formular um quadro técnico e teórico alargado para expandir sobre este tópico. Os projectos têm como primeiro objectivo abraçar algumas perspectivas alternativas às que já estão estabelecidas no âmbito da investigação da Computação Afectiva. A partir daqui, estes conceitos evoluem mais profundamente, fazendo a ponte entre as teorias das práticas criativas e técnicas contemporâneas com o avanço das tecnologias biomédicas

Spatial models and affects: Scanlab’s Frozen Relics / Arctic Works & Framerate / Pulse of the Earth

Matthew Shaw and William Trossell founded Scanlab Project in 2010; trained as architects they have been scanning objects, cities and landscapes for over a decade. Ranging from historical artefacts for museums such as the National Maritime Museum or the Sir John Soane Museum, to the exploration of underground Rome or the Arctic icecap, the precision of the data collected has been used for scientific research, yet their work also takes 3D modelling and the architectural model to a new level. With their command of new technologies and spatial understanding, Scanlab’s work is at the crossroads between scientific research and art practice. In this presentation I will undertake a comparison between two of their projects that raise awareness of climate change and will examine them through the lenses of Posthuman theory. In particular I will refer to Jane Bennet’s definition of Vibrant Matter (2010) in which she explains that all things, human and non-human, living and non-living, should be understood as actants with political agency. I will compare Scanlab’s recent project Framerate: Pulse of the Earth (2022), an immersive experience shown at the Biennale Venice International Film Festival, to their earlier project Frozen Relic: Arctic Works (2013), a scale model of the arctic icecap shown at the AA School of Architecture in London, and ask whether the scale model can create the same affect than a more immersive experience

Approaching algorithmic power

Contemporary power manifests in the algorithmic. Emerging quite recently as an object of study within media and communications, cultural research, gender and race studies, and urban geography, the algorithm often seems ungraspable. Framed as code, it becomes proprietary property, black-boxed and inaccessible. Framed as a totality, its becomes overwhelmingly complex, incomprehensible in its operations. Framed as a procedure, it becomes a technique to be optimised, bracketing out the political. In struggling to adequately grasp the algorithmic as an object of study, to unravel its mechanisms and materialities, these framings offer limited insight into how algorithmic power is initiated and maintained. This thesis instead argues for an alternative approach: firstly, that the algorithmic is coordinated by a coherent internal logic, a knowledge-structure that understands the world in particular ways; second, that the algorithmic is enacted through control, a material and therefore observable performance which purposively influences people and things towards a predetermined outcome; and third, that this complex totality of architectures and operations can be productively analysed as strategic sociotechnical clusters of machines. This method of inquiry is developed with and tested against four contemporary examples: Uber, Airbnb, Amazon Alexa, and Palantir Gotham. Highly profitable, widely adopted and globally operational, they exemplify the algorithmic shift from whiteboard to world. But if the world is productive, it is also precarious, consisting of frictional spaces and antagonistic subjects. Force cannot be assumed as unilinear, but is incessantly negotiated—operations of parsing data and processing tasks forming broader operations that strive to establish subjectivities and shape relations. These negotiations can fail, destabilised by inadequate logics and weak control. A more generic understanding of logic and control enables a historiography of the algorithmic. The ability to index information, to structure the flow of labor, to exert force over subjects and spaces— these did not emerge with the microchip and the mainframe, but are part of a longer lineage of calculation. Two moments from this lineage are examined: house-numbering in the Habsburg Empire and punch-card machines in the Third Reich. Rather than revolutionary, this genealogy suggests an evolutionary process, albeit uneven, linking the computation of past and present. The thesis makes a methodological contribution to the nascent field of algorithmic studies. But more importantly, it renders algorithmic power more intelligible as a material force. Structured and implemented in particular ways, the design of logic and control construct different versions, or modalities, of algorithmic power. This power is political, it calibrates subjectivities towards certain ends, it prioritises space in specific ways, and it privileges particular practices whilst suppressing others. In apprehending operational logics, the practice of method thus foregrounds the sociopolitical dimensions of algorithmic power. As the algorithmic increasingly infiltrates into and governs the everyday, the ability to understand, critique, and intervene in this new field of power becomes more urgent

Conditions of enablement of sound practices in Hong Kong and Manila

While sound practices in Hong Kong and Manila operate separately, they are interlinked by various factors that have enabled their practices, respectively. This research is a study of such connection. In particular, I claim that sound practices in Hong Kong and Manila share distinct characteristics that allow inter-referencing to be adopted as an effective tool in approaching the problem at hand. Sound practice for both Hong Kong and Manila is uniquely located in the interstices of music and art—a location where their distinct form, history, and ethics are entangled with those of music and art. I argue that this unique location of sound practice is brought about by the conditions that have enabled it. Among these conditions are the earlier encounters between Hong Kong and Manila—through artist exchanges and events or gatherings such as exhibits, festivals, and conferences since the 1960s. With these encounters, direct relations are traced to the current sound practice by virtue of organizational, conceptual, or ideological affinity. Thus, I propose that sound practice should be understood not as an autonomous art movement, but one that is a product of the society where it emerges from. Besides the historical connection, this study will expound on the three factors that enable the sound practices at issue: technological movements, DIY culture, and art institutions. Technological movements or technological developments enabled the evolution of forms and the development of different sound projects. DIY culture gave sound practitioners inspiration on how to organize themselves as communities in relation to or despite the prevailing art market. Meanwhile, various discourses in the contemporary art world in Asia, concerning both music and visual arts, gave rise to conditions where sound projects can be understood as a tradition, expression, representation, or commodity, among others. Specific manifestations and interventions of these three factors, from early 1990 until the mid-2010s, are identified and analysed vis-a-vis the current conditions of the practice. This research will show that it is within the constellation of these three enabling factors that the sites of practice are shaped and the ethics of the practice moulded. In conclusion, I will discuss how sound practice may continue to grow and further develop