Students from Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) collaborated with independent record label and creative collective Das Spezial on a unique live creative experiment exploring the relationship between sound, movement and visual art.
The project which took place on Wednesday 11 March, led by Das Spezial alongside its sister initiative Sound Sanctuary, transformed AUB’s Drawing Studio into an immersive, interdisciplinary environment for students from BA (Hons) Fine Art, BA (Hons) Dance, and the Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media to respond intuitively to a live soundscape creating work in real time through movement and mark-making.
Dancers improvised freely to the sound, while student artists translated this movement onto canvas.
“It was interesting to have dance and different music to respond to as an artist, and to be encouraged to respond to my emotions and the overall environment of the room, feeding off of the other artists," explains Finn Cook, who studies BA (Hons) Fine Art at AUB.
“An opportunity to make art in a new environment and to have a curated experience in conjunction with the Dance course was incredible; the dancers brought out a new and refreshing angle to draw inspiration from. Having different art forms come together I think allows an amazing space for exploration and creation.”
The project forms part of an ongoing exploration by Sound Sanctuary into how sound can influence emotional state, creativity, and human connection.
“This project was about creating a space where artists could come together, respond instinctively, and explore without pressure or expectation,” says Caroline Everitt from Das Spezial and Sound Sanctuary.
“At a time when so much creativity happens in isolation or online, we believe it’s more important than ever to bring people into a shared physical space. The energy in the room was incredible, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite for more of this kind of collaborative, live creative work.”
Following the success of this initial project, Das Spezial and Sound Sanctuary are now developing plans for a larger-scale public event, with the aim of continuing to support emerging artists and create new platforms for interdisciplinary collaboration.
