Kyle Lee Looking Outward 10: Adrien Segal

P9 Artist Profile: Adrien Segal

I chose Adrien Segan, a data sculptor and product design visualizer. As a product design major, I initially was drawn to her pieces, all of which showcase some tremendous craft and form. After reading more material on her vision, it became clear that her projects identity’s were about the embodiment of data regarding the natural world. She takes a tangible emotional approach to visualizing statistical information while:

“Scientific conventions are founded on the belief that we must systematically eliminate emotional involvement in order to uncover truths about the natural world. As a result, I feel a deep disconnect from nature and a great loss of intuitive knowledge.”

Her work is the bridge between compelling data, and powerful emotion that together inspire great vision. Her Trends in Water Use project is one example in which she uses USGS data as dimensions of a cavernous canyon, creating a representation of the absence of water, the gravity of the situation, and the passing of time.

One critique I did have, particularly with this project, was the fact that at first glance, it looks like a piece of decorative furniture. I didn’t understand the piece until I read the description on the website and watched an accompanying video. Although I am now intrigued with the project’s meaning, I am unsure how it will be interpreted by people viewing it for the first time without context.