Today we discussed the relationship between art and data.
Big data refers to extremely large and complex datasets that are difficult to manage and analyze using traditional data processing tools, requiring advanced techniques to extract insights and make informed decisions. Often the best way to present these large data sets is to present them in obscure ways, opening up doors to interpretation and allowing the data to speak for itself.
The Johnny Cash Project is a great example of how data can be used in a creative way. People from all over the world submitted their own artwork for the Ain’t No Grave video, and the result is a constantly changing visual. What’s interesting is how the project uses all this data, like who’s contributing and where it’s coming from to shape the video as it evolves. It’s a cool mix of art and data, with each new submission adding something fresh to the story.
You can view it for yourself below.
The Johnny Cash Project - RadicalMedia®
Aaron Koblin’s TED Talk on artfully visualising our humanity is pretty fascinating. He talks about using data to tell human stories in a way that feels personal and real, which is something I hadn’t really considered before. The way he takes things like flight paths or even text messages and turns them into visuals is actually kind of beautiful. It’s not just about showing numbers, it’s about showing the connections between people. The visuals he creates aren’t just informative, they make you feel something. It's a cool reminder that behind every data point, there's a whole story about human experiences.
https://youtu.be/4v4XxlfVk3o?si=52MLtWtItHwnTVmE
Todays class was a little shorter but there are some great takeaways. I really enjoyed Koblins TED Talk, I plan to look into him a little more as I found him to be very inspirational. The way he talked about data was beautiful and has gotten me to reconsider my approach to my dashboard project. I think going forward I am going to be more playful with it, more specifically how I present the data, rather than just using charts and diagrams in the typical sense.