A Shift in the Fabric

For thousands of years, societies and cultural centers have created myths revolving around notions of an apocalypse, or world-changing event. In the last century, writers and storytellers have extended this even further, creating more elaborate fictional possibilities. In the last five years specifically, security has become a topic of importance to the American government and other countries throughout the world. As a nation, we have become obsessed with networks and their potential to deliver relevant information. Even as individual citizens, the number of networks and infrastructures we are a part of is growing rapidly. The Earth has become an ecosystem of networks and connections, with overwhelming and complex layers of such intermingling systems. This project attempts to begin visualizing these networks, not as exact representations of the actual data, but rather abstractions. By abstracting the information, each individual participant viewing this piece can make their own interpretations, allowing the viewers to create the solution, rather than some algorithm or heuristic. This exploration raises a variety of questions. By attempting to visualize these abstract networks, what new information can we gleam? Is it even possible to visualize such intensive and complex systems, especially when comparing connections between them? Further, how does the sheer volume of this data become relevant visually or logistically? These are all questions I have begun to explore in this piece.

I've been fascinated with networks for many years. This project was an extension of that interest, to connect with recent work, and future initiatives.

This project is a framework for future visualizations and flexible maniupulations of networks in a software environment. It serves twofold purposes, one as an open tool, and also as an installation for the spring show.

As an installation, a user will enter, and notice a column glowing in the space. As they approach, they will be able to see down into it, and the visualization projected.

The visualization will show nodes of 5000 of the biggest cities in the world, and the making and breaking of connections between one another. As users watch this unfold, they will have the chance to infer meaning and narrative on what these connections are, much like experiencing a "war-games" type scenario, and watching it unfold live.

This project is created as an openGL 3D environment, built in java. The installation will feature a minimal black column which houses the visualization at its top.