The Art of Data Visualization

When I first started the youtube clip, "The Art of Data Visualization" I was confused as to what data visualization even meant. In the video, Edward Tufte discusses how design is about the relationship of the viewer and how they understand the content. While some art is created based on things imagined up in the mind of an artist, the art of data visualization needs to be based on true content. One of the more helpful and interesting examples given in the video, for me personally, is about Galileo using data visualization to chart solar system movements by creating a visual image of the data of where sun spots were at the time of his observation. This interested me because it helped me understand and realize what a big role data visualization has played in the advancements of science throughout history. I have observed lots of data visualizations without even really paying attention to or realizing that someone created this visual image based on the data and content be observed.  

True White

       On their own, each item appeared to be the true white color. However, when layered on top of each other subtle differences in the color and undertones made it hard to distinguish which color was true white 

Baltimore Museum

    The three paintings that were amoung my favorite were from one artist, Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol was an American artist who lived in 1928 - 1987. The three paintings of his that I enjoyed most were;
Physiological Diagram. created in 1984-1985 



Skull. created in 1976



And the third painting, which is my favorite, is Oxidation Painting. Created in 1978

 I enjoyed this piece the most because of the optical illusion it has. It looks like the green oval center is behind or further back then the rest of the painting which is an orange rust color. The appearance adds a dimension to the painting. Initially from far back I thought there was a layered effect like a canvas on top of another canvas, and it wasn't until I got close up to the painting that I realized that Warhol created this illusion through paint alone. A few times I went up close to the painting and then took a couple steps back and then walked closer to the painting again to try to see how far away I had to be for the illusion to be in effect. The only thing I did not so much enjoy about this painting is that apparently to get this oxidized effect, Warhol and his assistants and studio visitors peed on canvases with metallic paint already on them.

Visibility

      It could have just been my mindset while I read Italo Calvino's article, Visibility, but I found it at times to be difficult to follow. In his article, Calvino dwelves into the concept of imagination. Using examples such as Dante in his book Purgatorio and using St. Ignatsius Loyola. He talks about the different features of imagination, and how it can be visualised through writing or can inspire writing. Calvino also questions where we get our images in our imagination from. Through his examples, he suggests that maybe those images come from God. I understand the concepts he was drawing on from Dante because I have read Purgatorio twice, however Calvino's writing was still confusing to me so I hope I will have a better understanding of it after our class discussion.

The Whole Ball of Wax

       In his piece The Whole Ball of Wax, Jerry Saltz reflects upon whether or not art has the power to change the world.  For me, his article is conflicting because while I do agree with the author that art has the power to change the world, I do not fully agree with how he explains art. Saltz believes that art does not directly have the power to change the world, a claim which he supports by saying that art by itself can not  do things like end climate change or prevent the spread of AIDS. The power art has to change the world relies on the power that art has on us. Art has the power to effect what we feel and believe about ourselves and the universe, which is why Saltz believes that art is a universal force of energy. Later on in his writing, Saltz also critiques Descartes model in regards to art which states, "I think, therefor I am," he argues instead that art is not about understanding it is about experiencing and so the model should be "I experience, therefor I am." I believe that art does have a big impact on understanding, and while people could experience the same piece of art, each individual might walk away from that experience having completely different understandings and feelings about the art. Up until that point in his piece, I already was slightly annoyed with Jerry Saltz's writing and his arguments. When reading his article, I was finding that for each of the arguments he was making, I usually would agree with the first part of the argument but then Saltz would try to stretch his argument too far and the last half of most of his arguments were not something I agreed with and often involved him pointing out his negative opinions on peoples beliefs. In his piece he not only calls people thought police, which is ironic because to me it seems that is what he is being, but he also says things which make it seem like he believes that he is one of the few people who is right about what art is and what it does. When still talking about the Descartes model he refers to many other people in the art world and says "they wrongly believe that art is about understanding, when, like almost everything else in the everyday world, art is about experience." He does not say that is what he believes to be true, or that that is what art is for him, he states that everyone else is wrong and that what his opinion is, is a fact. Overall it was an interesting piece and I agree that art has the power to change the world, but I do not really see eye to eye with all of what Jerry Saltz argues.