Illuminating Data: Visualizing the Information that Moves Our World

I recently attended this show at TCNJ's art gallery. It is described as an exhibition that includes work by twenty artists who employ innovative approaches to visualizing data through dynamic installations, sculptures, algorithmically drawn prints, video, animation, and many other forms of new media. In other words, the gallery is filled with works that allow you to "see data". I loved the exhibit because it mixed math with art. Those are two topics we rarely see as one. One piece in particular stuck out to me.

"Similar Diversity"
by Philipp Steinweber, Andreas Koller

It was made in processing and VVVV. It takes the Holy Books of five world religions, ( Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism) and compares the words used in each book. It amazed me that this world has so many religious wars even though we are similar in so many ways. I also started to think that maybe religion is similar to languages. Maybe the five world religions are different ways of saying the same thing.

AAUGA

The Auto desk user group is on tour and they stopped at TCNJ. The presentations were interesting and informative but they were a little hard to follow. I am only a novice when it comes to Maya so most of the tools and terms the presenters were using went way over my head.
I did learn in greater detail what it takes to create an animation. I finally understand why people specialize in one aspect. The presentations did inspire me to explore Mudbox. I loved the models kevin created, they were very life like. I am eager to start working with Mudbox to create my own. Since I am going to have more free time , I am going to download Mudbox and play with it over the summer