Sebastian lost his hearing in 2010 due to a rare neurological condition, an experience which is at the core of his practice. His current work 'Multisensory Bodies' explores how one can experience sound even if they are unable to hear. Sebastian has developed different experiences which translate sound into visual and tactile stimuli. This has never been about the ability to understand sound from a logical perspective, rather than the emotional dimension. The aim is to develop a garment which translates sound into tactile stimuli, enabling people who are deaf to experience sound without hearing it. He will continue this research in the context of accessibility of virtual environments during a PhD for which he has been awarded a research grant. He is currently looking for further funding.
Sebastian Roeck
Sound Body IV –
The current Sound Bodies are three-dimensional digital sculptures created from sound, based on an algorithm utilising pitch, volume, timbre, and other aspects of noise. While they don’t enable you to understand the sound in a rational sense, these are the first step to reaching the translation of the emotional layer of sound.
Sound Body I –
The original Sound Body, one of my first attempts at translating sound into a visual experience, worked by simply expanding the shape in relation to the volume and changing colour in relation to pitch.