I want my final project to be a data-driven small multiples work. I was really touched by Lukas’ work for the midsemester critique with the zigzagging lines reflecting texts between him and his girlfriend, and I had also seen Caroline Hermans’ project exploring attention dynamics with linked scarves, so I was considering a project reflecting in some way the history of my messages with my partner…! As for the output, I’m still sort of waffling between some ideas—generative poems constructed in a “mad-libs” manner; generative living rooms with different elements like couches, tables, lamps, etc.; generative letters between fictional figures with text with varying levels of readability (delving into asemic writing territory) corresponding to varying levels of understanding between said fictional figures.
Golan recommended Allison Parrish’s Eyeo 2015 talk, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked the analogy she drew between unmanned travel and exploration of strange language spaces. In the same way a weather balloon can go higher and explore longer without the weight of a human, generative language can go into novel spaces without the weight of our intrinsic biases or bents towards meaning. I also liked the piece at the bottom of this lecture, Sissy Marley’s “My House Wallpaper” (2020) because I’ve always been obsessed with the concept of building a home and understanding the components (people, objects, light) that define a home. I thought generation might be an interesting way to explore home construction without being weighed down by past connotations of home/traumas surrounding home.
Lukas also recommended “Dear Data” (putting this here for my future reference).
11.03 Wed -- Due: #10 (Research/Proposal/Tests); DISCUSSION. 11.08 Mon -- Have parsed the data to get something meaningful out of it 11.10 Wed -- Come to class with a chunk of code that is a prototype for the output (have done some research regarding language generation and/or small multiples) 11.15 Mon -- Create 3-4 small pieces that *exist* with aforemented data & code; continue revising codebase 11.17 Wed -- Due: #11 (Major Milestone); CRITIQUE. 11.22 Mon -- Revise work based on critique; make 3-4 small pieces again that *exist* 11.24 Wed -- NO SESSION (Thanksgiving). 11.29 Mon -- Create final plotted project; by Wednesday have made all the necessary hand-drawn changes 12.01 Wed -- Due: #12 (Final Project); EXHIBITION.