Data Visualization - Mapping Britain’s Information Economy from Above

Art is everywhere – we, as a species, weave our collective artistic sense into everything we do. The paths that fiber optic cables weave as they transmit information, flight paths, shipping routes, and land based telecommunications, all create intricate patterns. These patterns were not derived from concerns of aesthetic impact, but created out of concern for the system's functionality. However, through this functionality arises a planned chaos that is both breathtaking and awe inspiring when visualized.

This type of art is concerned with presenting the everyday, overlooked, functions of the world in striking visualizations of pure data. My first encounter with this type of art making was when I researched Radiohead’s latest video. I found a group of UCLA researchers, who had inspired the video’s director, were using lasers to record the movement of aerial vehicles and compiling the data into still images.

This time around, the BBC presents data visualization, in Britain From Above, through time-lapse video using, among other things, GPS signatures or trails. The images are not of humans, but their systems, and it’s truly amazing to see so many people interacting on such a large scale. These vids makes all our randomness - seem magical.

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‘Look Ma No Cams’, Lasers Record Radiohead’s Latest Music Video

Real-time 3D recording had eluded us – until Aaron Koblin, Scott Hessels, and Gabriel Dunne (a group of researchers at UCLA), inspired James Frost to direct the world’s first music video shot entirely without cameras. Instead he used a LIDAR Laser and a geometric texture-mapping laser (for facial closeups).

His inspiration came from a project called “Celestial Movements”. With this project the aforementioned researchers used lasers to record the movement of manmade aerial vehicles in the night sky. They then compiled data sets into one image, or animated still images to create stunning visual representations of the data. But, rather than being strictly creative, this project “combines science, statistical display, and contemporary art”.

The first purely creative endeavor using 3D laser imaging is this new effort from Radiohead, the video for "House of Cards". Known as innovators, Radiohead was the obvious choice for real actualization, especially because James was in tight with their manager. Realizing this piece required two rented lasers, teams of technicians, and scores of quad cores. Luckily, the moneymen trusted James’ vision.

The end result definitely has a psychedelic vibe, psychedelia for the post-information age. It reminds me of the old Amiga Video Toast effects from early nineties videos. The similarity isn’t the look of the laser’s effect, but rather this video, like toast effects, is the earliest implementation of an exciting new tool for video artists. Still in it's infancy, it holds so much promise to inspire innovation.

Think you can do better with your own 3D rendering software? Download the original CSV files and prove it. Or just get a snippet to play with till you get board of it.

"Making of.." video after the break.




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