from top in clockwise:Mungkot by Marie Kim (Younghui Kim), Gidojadeul by Jin K. Lee, Alice in Wonderland Seoul by Alice Achoo, BoTree by Sam An, and Today’s Practice by Jeesun Lucia Lee. All Rights Reserved by the artists. Copyrights 2020.
Plug-In City Project, curated and produced by RedOnion 2020 and sponsored by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Arts Council Korea, and Seoul Foundation of Arts and Culture.
Participating artists: Younghui Kim, Sam An, Alice Achoo, Soyoung You, Jaemin Lee, Lucia Jeesun Lee, Jin K Lee
The off-line exhibition of the art project Plug-In City – Seoul 2020 was held quietly at the gallery B2Project (Dec 24-31 2020) as a closure to the year 2020. To demonstrate of the curatorial concept of the data artwork visiting various screen displays at home, office, or cafe, we set up the gallery with vintage furniture provided by B2Project. More info at: http://www.b2project.co.kr/product/detail_portfolio.html
Younghui has co-founded an art & tech group, RedOnion with Sam An. Plug-In City is their first art project that promotes artistic use of Seoul data live. They technically collaborated with 7 artists to work with the live data in their artmaking. Last December 2020, the artists’ final outputs are exhibited online in a special format of the screen saver and wordpress plug-in for the time of untact situation. The description of Plug-In City (Seoul 2020) is below.
On the 22nd of December, seven artworks plug-in with Seoul data. Wherever you are, you can turn your space into a gallery. These artworks visit your sleeping displays, dreaming of Seoul. We invite you to <Plug-In City Seoul 2020>, the very first experimental online group exhibition produced by RedOnion. Seven artists present artworks driven by different live data of Seoul. Some of them are inspired by Seoul’s real estate, daily bumping, yoga with solar/lunar cycle, and suicide rate and air pollution data. Some imagine the taste of data and some reminisce dreamlike Seoul.
In participation ART MUST GO ON project funded by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Arts Council Korea, and Seoul Foundation of Arts and Culture, this exhibition went live on plugincity.org. This exhibition is in the format of WordPress Plug-in and screensaver (Mac only for now) and downloadable at the site. Screensaver for Windows is coming soon so please follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Artists: Younghui Kim*, Sam An, Alice Achoo, Soyoung You, Jaemin Lee, Lucia Jeesun Lee, Jin K Lee
Producer: RedOnion Sponsors: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Arts Council Korea, Seoul Foundation of Arts and Culture
*Younghui’s new artwork, ‘Mungkot 멍꽃’ was created through this project and she used her sub name, Marie Kim 마리킴 for this exhibition.
서울에 플러그인된 7개의 작품… 도시와 함께 살아 움직이는 예술을 꿈꾸는 레드어니언의 온라인 실험기획전, 문화체육관광부, 한국문화예술위원회, 서울문화재단의 ART MUST GO ON 지원 사업으로 진행되는 <Plug In City – Seoul >로 당신을 초대합니다. 잠시 마우스를 내려놓고 작품을 감상하거나 스크린 세이버를 컴퓨터에 설치하여 휴식시간 예술을 향유하는 온라인 전시, 생활 구석구석 퍼져 있는 다양한 화면 속으로 도시의 실시간 데이터에 의해 지속적으로 변화하는 작품이 들어와, 당신이 머무는 일상 속 그곳이 갤러리가 됩니다. 스크린세이버와 플러그인 포맷으로 전시되는 이 프로젝트는 7명의 참여작가가 서울을 중심으로 한 부동산 이야기, 일상적 부딪힘, 해와 달 주기- 하타요가, 데이터맛, 자살과 미세먼지의 관계, 꿈같은 서울, 재난과 기일을 주제로 7개의 데이터 아트 작품을 새로 창작해 선보입니다. 예술단체 레드어니언는 다양한 예술영역의 작가들에게 라이브 데이터 융합 기술을 제공하며 협업을 지속적으로 하고 있습니다. 레드어니언은 Plug-In City 프로젝트를 통해 다양한 도시를 중심으로 한 실시간 데이터 융합 작품을 스크린세이버와 플러그인 등을 통해 지속적으로 제공해 나갈 것입니다.
I gave an artist talk at DK Forum via Zoom following the exhibition, with a title “Data Art: Data as Artistic material and inspiration”. The talk is published in Youtube channel.
This computer generated image is from the screenshots of the artwork, Out-Layers 2018-9 by Kim, Y. 포스트카드 앞: 두번째 버전의 ‘아웃레이어스’, 소셜미디어 실시간 데이터의 불특정 다수의 그 때 그 떄의 감정에 의해 형성된 데이터-드리븐 패턴 이미지
Seeking for Outliers: Artistic Exploration of Data through Creative Practice
The PhD Final Exhibition by Younghui Kim
아웃라이어를 찾아서: 창작에 의한 데이터의 예술적 탐구 – 김영희 (마리 킴)
21 of Jan – 24th Jan 2020: 10 am – 5 pm at The Block, QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave., Kelvin Grove Opening Reception: Thurs. 23 Jan 2020, 5 – 7 pm
My PhD Final Exhibition was held at The Block gallery at QUT Kelvin Grove Creative Industries Precinct in Jan 2020. My long journey of practice-led research project was presented to the public as the exhibition, titled Seeking for Outliers. There were four sets of digital art installation that are data-driven. This followed The Sense of Data exhibition held at Platform-L, Seoul in 2018 with further developed artworks with an addition of a new work, Bridge Crossing.
“아웃라이어를 찾아서: 창작에 의한 데이터의 예술적 탐구” 라는 제목의 개인전이 27미터 x 12 미터 x 5 미터 높이 공간의 갤러리 더 블럭에서 2020년 1월에 개최되었다. 본 시리즈에서는 세트로 (e.g., 대형스크린과 데이터 드리븐 웨어러블 등) 이루어진 4점의 작품이 전시되었다. 2018년도 서울 플랫폼엘 컨템포러리아트센터에서 개최되었던 ‘더 센스 오브 데이터’ 개인전에서 좀 더 발전된 버전의 작품들과 새 작품 ‘Bridge Crossing’을 호주 브리즈번시의 대중에게 선보였다.
A video link to introduce this exhibition:
This exhibition is supported by Queensland University of Technology and Creative Industries Precinct.
Great Thanks to my spouse Sam and family in both Korea and USA, the kind staff Helena at Creative Industries HDR support group, Simon at J-Block (digital fabrication lab), Nigel and Blair at The Block, my colleagues at Urban Informatics Design Lab and most of all to my superb advisory team of: Dr Seevinck, Dr Payne and Dr Choi.
The modified new version of “BreatheOut” was exhibited at QUT biennial event, Robotronica 2019. In this version, I added a new sensor that resemble a Calla lily flower to allow the audience to mix the data visualization with the live Brisbane air data. By breathing out to the flower planted in the living plant, the local Brisbane audience can add new particles that represent Brisbane PM 2.5 (Particle Matters) quality in different colors depending on the air quality status. For example, the large screen displays the current air quality of Seoul city, Gangnam-gu and the real-time air quality data from Brisbane CBD will get mixed with Seoul air in the screen by breathing out to the sensor.
Sensor to breatheout
Breathing out to add Brisbane air data
air data being mixed
작품 ‘BreatheOut (숨을 내쉬다)’의 그 두번째 버전이 작업 중에 2019년도 로보트로니카 비엔날레에 초청되었다. 전시회를 찾아오는 관람객들을 위해 웨어러블 대신 칼라릴리 모양의 센서를 제작해서 커다란 식물화분에 심었다. 거친 노출형 시멘트 벽면에는 서울시 오픈데이터사이트에서 가져온 실시간 미세먼지 데이터로 작은 먼지방울들이 공기의 상태를 나타내는 색으로(그린, 오렌지, 핑크) 천천히 한방향으로 흐르듯이 움직이고 있다. 그 위에 호주 브리즈번 관람객들이 숨을 내쉬면, 브리즈번의 실시간 미세먼지 데이터의 수치가 색으로 적용되어 먼지방울로 화면의 파티클 이미지와 뒤섞이게 된다. 마치 비누방울을 불어서 넣듯이. 잠시 후, 숨을 내쉬어 불어넣은 현지 공기데이터의 방울들은 마치 공기속으로 사라지듯이 스크린에서도 사라진다.
(서울시 강남구 미세먼지, 초미세먼지 데이터, 호주 퀸스랜드주 브리즈번 초미세먼지 데이터, DataCook)
Younghui presented her Artist Talk, “Seeking for Outliers” at International Symposium on Electronic Arts (ISEA) 2019 on Tuesday 25th of June, 4:15 PM at Asian Cultural Center, Gwangju South Korea.
She presented her PhD work-in-progress data art project, ‘Seeking for Outliers‘ at Lounge Space 5 (5-2) ACC Creation. It is exciting to discuss and hear feedback from peers in the digital art practice and research from all over the world. It was also motivating to attend to other artist talks on data sonification, bio art, robotic art and AI art practice and research.
Younghui Kim giving out her artist talk at ISEA 2019
The artist in the project of ‘Out-Layers – Seoul 2018′ at Platform-L. photo by Samuel An 2018
During the preparation of this art exhibition, I lost my beloved father in Seoul. At the moment, I almost gave up having this exhibition but, miraculously, the timing of installation and equipment rentals have worked out well with the kind helps of many – especially Sam An and Kazan Kang from datacook. Kazan’s technical support for data algorithm has been critical for my artwork. Also many thanks to my QUT supervisors: Dr. Jen Seevinck, Dr. Alice Payne and Dr. Jaz Choi. In the end, I was able to hold this solo art exhibition at the Platform-L Contemporary Art Center from 7th of Nov to 17th of Nov 2018 as a part of Platform-L Live Arts Program 2018. Perhaps dad was looking after me after all…
Art Exhibition by Younghui Kim: The Sense of Data – Seoul 2018
Here is the quickly printed postcard with the artwork, ‘Out-Layers – Seoul 2018‘ – screen version. I had to rush out to the printer during the exhibition as I had a very limited time to prepare. Fortunately, the art exhibition has gotten strong feedbacks in the sense of sharing my artistic view of data from the Seoul audience.
This series is composed of 3 artworks; two of them are in a set of a wearable and a screen projection piece of live data associated with Seoul.
김영희의 데이터아트 개인전, 더 센스 오브 데이터는 2014년 무드클라우드: 예술로써의 데이터, 2016년 웨이트 오브 데이터를 이은 세번째 데이터아트 시리즈이다. 본 시리즈는 서울과 관련된 데이터로 창작된 3세트의 작품을 전시하고 있다.
Out-Layers – Seoul 2018
In the first set, ‘Out-Layers – Seoul 2018‘, the artist visualizes the live data of selfie-related texts in the public post of Selfie using the hashtag #셀카 in Instagram – ‘셀카’ means ‘Selfie’ in Korean. The algorithm set in the datacook site looks for the different themes of the captions categorized based on thematic analysis; then visualizes into five colors of stripes: daily – green, travel – blue, emotions – yellow, appearance – pink, and promotion – orange. These bold graphic pattern projected in a large scale on the wall are built and updated with the live data along in parallel with the colourful lights embedded in the wearable version. Both patterns are inspired by Korean traditional color pattern called, ‘Sakdong’ and Hanbok image collars called, ‘Dong Jeong‘.
첫번째 작품, ‘아웃레이어스-서울 2018’ (버전 1) 는 셀피관련된 한글 캡션데이터를 데이터쿡 사이트에서 라이브로 프로세스되는 알고리즘에 의해 글의 내용을 다섯가지로 분류하고 다섯가지의 색으로 표현한 작품이다. 실시간 데이터는 일상-초록, 여행-파랑, 감정-노랑, 외모-핑크, 광고-주황 으로 긴 띠를 이루어 차곡차곡 대형스크린에 쌓여져 간다. 새로운 세트의 다섯색의 띠가 데이터에 의해 업데이트될 때마다 웨어러블의 스카프 부분의 LED색도 함께 맞추어 패턴이 변한다. 웨어러블의 스카프부분은 한복의 동정에서 영감을 얻어 제작되었으며, 색의 띠도 ‘색동’ 띠에서 영감을 얻었다. 본 작품은 새로운 데이터와 알고리즘으로 더 발전시킬 계획이다.
‘Out-Layers Seoul 2018‘ by Younghui Kim. Platform-L Contemporary Art Center
The set of artworks, ‘BreatheOut – Seoul 2018′ visualizes the live data of the air quality of Seoul – specifically the micro dust pollution levels in the district of the gallery is sited.
BreatheOut – Seoul 2018′은 첫번째 버전으로 웨어러블과 대형 스크린이 세트로 형성되어 있다. 이 작품은 전시장이 위치한 서울시 강남구의 실시간 공기데이터를 가공하여 라이브데이터 드리븐 아트 작품이다.
BreatheOut – Seoul 2018 by Kim Y. Air Quality Data Visualization at Platform-L (clear air in Gangnamgu, Seoul after the rain).
The air we breathe out unconsciously gets mixed up with the surrounding air, and we share this circling air by breathing in and out. ‘BreatheOut – Seoul 2018‘ visualizes the interaction of our breathing out, blending with the live visualization of the current air dust quality.
The artist visualized the air particles into small circles in different sizes, opacity, and colors then refers them as, ‘air bubbles’. These movements of air bubbles are intentionally designed to be airy and in depth, at the same time, computationally randomized. This creates a meditative environment where one can stare at it for a while. The live data was filtered through an algorithm in the artwork and visualized into tiny moving air bubbles in different color stages based on the AQI (Air Quality Index) Calculator provided by airnow.gov. Each layer of the air bubbles is displayed in one of three colors depending on the real-time data provided by the Seoul City Open Data API: green being healthy, orange being sensitive and light pink being unhealthy for some people.
The wearable also displays the color status of micro dust in LEDs embedded in the live data visualization, therefore data-driven.
BreatheOut – Seoul 2018 by Kim Y., micro dust – sensitive and dust -healthy with the wearable piece.
The Screen Grab of BreatheOut – Seoul 2018 – with the unhealthy micro-dust air quality with the breathing out through the wearable.
As a part of her PhD research, “Artistic Exploration of Data Through Creative Practice“, Younghui begins to explore the meaning of outliers in data through her art practice and aims to expand the use of real-time data as art material for conceptual art practice through this series. It has been a long process of exploring data through an artistic approach for her already. Therefore, this artwork is the process, not a completion of work. In Seeking for Outliers, the artist first gathered her words that she posted on the walls of Facebook for ten years of her stay in Seoul – from Feb 2007 to Jan 2017. Apparently, the dataset was large which easily crashed the data analytic tools she played with.
A view of the exhibition, The Sense of Data at Platform-L Contempoary Art Center 2018
To trace her memories of thoughts, opinions, and actions for the ten years living in Seoul, she first gathered English words as she often posts on the wall in two languages. Then she displayed the words by the counts of the word usage into her artwork to seek for the words that reveal her thoughts based on her memory and experience.
Throught ‘Seeking for Outliers‘, Younghui tries to understand the outliers of her past with her own memories and experience and based on its revelation, she expects to continue to further practice with this concept of outliers in the close future. The video below is a clip where the artist reads word by word out loud during the exhibition.
Younghui Kim (Marie) 