NGV Data Tapestry
A commissioned data-art work for the National Gallery of Victoria's Melbourne Now exhibition — presenting ecological, demographic, and systems data through 4 HD projections and 4 channels of audio.
Data Tapestry is a commissioned data-art work for the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Melbourne Now exhibition. The work creates a departure point for thinking about our contemporary city through ecological, demographic, and systems data sourced from the greater Melbourne region.
Working with a curatorial team, data researchers, and collaborating city organisations, we sourced a range of open datasets — and less accessible data — to present different themes of the city: five years of Melbourne traffic accidents, city trees, waterways, buildings, and more. These were presented through 4 HD projections and 4 channels of audio.
Visit the Melbourne Now website or see the artist page.
Watch the Data Tapestry on Vimeo →
Artist Statement
As an artform, data visualisation enables patterns to emerge from vast amounts of data. This data echoes the physical world we live in and, rendered through a combination of design, programming and digital technology, data visualisation allows us to experience our world in new ways.
As a designer, data visualisation is not confined to the statistical or the analytical, but is an opportunity to explore the poetics inherent in data — a form of data aesthetics. Similar to words in language, or notes in music, visual and sonic encoding gives shape to data, it poses questions, expands knowledge, and lets us sense — and in turn make sense — of our physical and informational environments.
Coverage
The response to the work has been great. Anecdotally, simply observing people in the space and overhearing their discussions about the work has been one of the most rewarding parts of the project.
Greg More (Founder of OOM Creative) was featured on the cover of The Age’s Metro Magazine for the Mapping the soul of the city article by Megan Backhouse in The Age and SMH.
Absolutely captivated by your work at Melbourne Now! Thanks for helping me see the city in a different way. — Felicity Watson
Your brilliant visualisation work and ‘don’t worry’ were the #melbournenow highlights for me. — Jussi Pasanen
Project Credits
Visualisations/Design: Greg More
Sound design: Marco Cher-Gibard
Data consultant: Serryn Eagleson (EDG Research)
Network programming: Steve Berrick
ZOOM Exhibition Curator: Ewan McEoin
Data Collaborators: City of Melbourne, VIC Roads, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI)