Johanna Roehr

Whether a person’s communicative intent leads to a meaningful interaction is inherently dependent on how others receive, interpret, and choose to respond to it. For people who do not process information through conceptual language or symbolic systems, the stakes of communication are particularly high, as the risk of isolation and marginalisation increases when their individual modes of expression are not recognised. The communication of people described as having profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) tends to be embodied, grounded in the present moment, and highly idiosyncratic. It may include - but is not limited to - gestures, vocalisations, body language, touch, and sensory interaction with immediate surroundings. This use of multiple modes or sensory channels to convey meaning beyond conventional language is referred to as ‘multimodal communication’. While the contexts differ, a sensibility towards multimodal communication is also central to artistic practice and the appreciation of the arts. Be it through music, visual art, or immersive installations and performances, creative practitioners frequently use combinations of sensory channels to convey meaning and evoke responses. This research project explores how artists with and without PIMD use multimodal communication to collaborate and co-construct meaning in The Sensory Studio, a mobile workspace purpose-built for artistic exchange by Frozen Light Theatre in Norwich. The research methodology is itself multimodal, designed to work towards equitable co-research with people with PIMD, whilst recognising and valuing their original contributions to knowledge that extend beyond traditional academic frameworks.

Names of Supervisors: 

• Professor Mick Peter
• Professor Shaleph O’Neill