The Data at Hand: Data Physicalizations of Earth and Space

From political forecasting to the charting of global temperatures, data visualization has become an ever-present tool. Yet, the richness of information represented in them can lead viewers to become numb to impenetrable displays. 

Data physicalization, or the act of giving a data set physical form, can counteract the data fatigue that we face in a world of digital visualizations. The Data at Hand: Data Physicalizations of Earth and Space, features artists working across traditional craft media like fiber, glass, wood, and clay to make the complexity of our planet concrete and accessible. 

Drawing upon datasets from sources ranging from the shifting terrain of riverbeds or practices of redlining, the objects in this exhibition offer a powerful example of craft’s unique contribution to how we understand the world around us.