The performance Sonic Driving aims to demonstrate collective healing processes through the use of low-frequency sound. Fingertip sensors detect the pulse of five performers, gathering data that is transmitted to a digital synthesizer. Every heartbeat serves as a trigger for a distinctive and unique sound. Each performer has an individual speaker playing frequencies between 90-120Hz, which makes the beats not just audible but also tangible in the body. Together, five different sounds create a collective symphony reminiscent of ancient drumming. A poetic voice melts into the rhythmic soundscape drawing attention to interoception, the ability to recognize inner body activities, as well as to the phenomena of synchronisation, a process in which people adapt to a collective rhythm. The body is a beautiful portal to experience pleasure and find belonging to the world; with this performance, I thus wish to bring a greater appreciation for the body and its senses.
Laura Papke
Sonic Driving
2023
About the artist
Laura Papke is an interdisciplinary designer and artistic researcher, currently living and working in the Netherlands. With a keen interest in the intersection of ecology, culture, and mental health, her work investigates new perspectives on healing processes and care practices in a technology-driven world. She brings together science and spirituality, drawing inspiration from queer ecologies, techno-feminism, and shamanic practices.
Her graduation project in Social Design from Design Academy Eindhoven Sonic Driving was nominated for the Planetree Design Award 2022 and presented at various events, including Dutch Design Week 2022 and New Now Festival 2023. Laura is recently continuing her research on interoception — the perception of inner-body activities — and the process of synchronization, which she further incorporates in her embodied sound experiences.
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