Flatulence (Farting) as Sound: Acoustic and Cultural Perspectives in Art and Performance.

Abstract:

Flatulence, commonly dismissed as comedic or inappropriate, remains largely unexplored within scholarly sound studies. This research addresses the gap by examining flatulence as a structured sonic event with cultural and performative significance. Grounded in acoustemology, spectro-morphology, semiotic musicology, and phenomenology of the body (Merleau-Ponty), the study employs acoustic profiling, cultural semiotic analysis, and performance inquiry to investigate its musical relevance. Using anonymised recordings, spectrograms, and comparative sonic techniques, the study identifies measurable acoustic features akin to extended instrumental gestures. Cultural analysis reveals flatulence as a socially coded sound shaped by humour, taboo, and symbolic regulation. Performance findings highlight its embodied nature and potential for artistic disruption. The study concludes that flatulence is a legitimate sonic material with implications for sound art, ethnomusicology, and decolonial performance practice. By reframing a marginalised sound, the research expands the boundaries of musical inquiry and invites deeper engagement with everyday sonic phenomena.