Grasping the Intimate Immensity: Acousmatic compositional techniques in sound art as ‘something to hold on to’

This article explores the accessibility of acousmatic compositional approaches to sound and installation art. Principally of concern is the consideration of intimacy to create a means of ‘connecting’ with an audience. Installations might be said to explore ideas of intimacy in two ways which increase accessibility for the installation visitor: through cultivating installation-visitor relationships, and through encouraging visitor-visitor relationships. In either case the experience of intimacy might be said to help to provide ‘something to hold onto’ (Landy 1994). A variety of ways in which various acousmatic compositional techniques relating to intimacy might be brought to bear on, and operate as a way of drawing a listener into a work are explored, in particular as they relate to the consideration of space and spatial relationships. These include recording techniques, types of sound materials chosen, and the creation of particular spatial environments and listening conditions. Along with a number of instances of sound art provided by way of examples, my ongoing GRIDs series of sound sculptures will provide a case study of works related to an acousmatic aesthetic where these concerns find an outlet.