#information visualization

[phenomenologyofperception]

[markbelan]

Understanding the Ionosphere: NASA’s ICON Mission | March 2017 An infographic detailing the ionosphere, the importance of skywave propagation, and NASA’s upcoming Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) Mission.

[phenomenologyofperception]

[floriafu-blog]

Aesthetics of Information Visualization&The Anti-Sublime Ideal in Data Art Response

Instead of making data visualization in a purpose of providing scientific information context(as an area of investigation and experimentation), the aesthetics of information visualization beyond the scientific aspect should be considered as well, in terms of the judgment that used to determine whether the work is valuable, according to the senses( the body).

Unlike the form that applied in the area if science and engineering to just visualize and understand the worth of an information, the new form of focusing on the sense emphasis  a quite different features of information visualization.  Many artists and designers unsatisfied with making data to easy understanding or simple, but to visualize data in a “pretty” way, which people named this kind of project as “anti-sublime”. For example, The Uncanny, another way of achieving the aesthetic of “anti-sublime”.

Even though different conceptual artists view the aim of information visualization in a quite diverse ways, “There is (at least) an aesthetics of beauty, of the anti-sublime, of the sublime, of the uncanny and of administration”(Sack, P8,2011). Based on computer technology, various forms of data visualization can be created. With media and software(Meta-Media) data is able to be mapped into another domain; for instance, 2D space to 3D, sound into 2D image, etc. In computer culture, mapping data into another or another media is common; however, computer is not capable to distinguish the beauty of those visualizations, where artists are trying to make some changes.

In my point of view, Anti-sublime and sublime is not opposite or to be consider two opposite purposes. Through those sublime data visualization, there is a beauty inside them can be found, but it is not obvious to see; on the other hand, Anti-sublime project is capable to give viewers a n understanding of the data while with more complex and sensible ways. In fact, people can have a better understanding when data become more sensible and interesting. Where, simple and easy data visualization is much more suitable for scientific field rather than the public.

Reference:

Manovich, Lev. "The Anti-Sublime Ideal in Data Art." (2002). Manovich. Web. Stack, Warren. "Aesthetics of Information Visualization." (2011).Web.