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)
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.
2. Exhibition at L U C E R I U M (Gwangju National Museum of Science)광주국립과학관 2015. 7.3 – 9.13
Younghui’s artwork, Scales(2014) is repaired and installed for the art and mathematics exhibition, “Keys and Mathematics” at the LUCERIUM (Gwangju, S. Korea). This kinetic installation project is inspired by Fibonacci numbers and pinecone scales. When the visitor blow one’s breath to the installed pole, the scales will open up. Each scales are made of wooden veneer papers – hand folded by the artist. The exhibition is open until Sept. 13th, 2015.
피보나치수열에 영감을 받아 제작된 인터랙티브 설치작품, 비늘(Scales, 2014)이 광주국립과학관에 초대되어 열쇠-수학체험전에서 전시를 하게 되었습니다. 본 작품은 244개의 목재종이를 접어 만든 설치물로써 입김을 불어 넣으면 살짝 열렸다 닫히는 설치물입니다. 광주국립과학관은 꽤 멋진 공간이며 다양한 상설전시가 있어서 아이들을 데리고 가기에 매우 유익한 장소인 것 같습니다.
repair work in progress – each scales are made of wooden veneer papers- hand folded.
3. BBC News Click Interview aired in June, 2015 in UK & USA
The reporters from BBC has visited Korea for South Korea special episodes. As their kindly request for an interview, we had a nice conversation at the Art Space Moon40 in the west village(서촌) area near Gyeongbokgung (The Palace.)
Here is the screen grab of the interview from UK version
A screen grab from BBC Click episode, June 2015Electronic Art, ‘Light RUNNING!’, 2013 by Younghui Kim
2013.July 5th – July 21st, at HOMA (Hongik University Museum of Modern Art)
Younghui Kim is having a group exhibition with 4 other artists(Romy Achituv, Dan Mikesell, Dongsoo Suh, Jaemin Lee) who are also her colleagues at the WCU Digital Media Public Art Research Lab.
She is displaying her current three art works, ‘RUNNING! 달려라 영희!’ ‘A Moment 순간’ ‘Body Graffiti in Trio.’
RUNNING! 달려라 영희, EL Drawing Installation by Younghui Kim, 2013
RUNNING! 125 x 147 x 65 cm, EL sheets, electronics
A Characterized figure that looks like a common running icon on the exit and entrance signs in cities are drawn using thin EL (Electroluminescent) sheets. This electronic drawing is installed where two sides of walls and a celling meet. Depending on the location of the visitor, it will look distorted or right. When it is dark, the running girl icon is reflected all around, running toward all directions.
A moment 순간 by Younghui Kim in collaboration with Dan Mikesell (motor,) 2013
A MOMEMENT 순간 150 x 155 x 250 cm, white birch wood, mdf, motors, micro-controller, electronics
How long does a moment appear to you? ‘A Moment’ is a kinetic display using a POV(Persistence of Vision) display and it swings like a pendulum while displaying an ephemeral message.
Younghui Kim (Marie) 