The project Visible Data - financing culture searched possible models of structuring data in the field of financing culture, where there is usually a lower level of interest in information design and visualization. Data on economics, demographics, and finance are the most visually represented, while culture, where power relations are more sophisticated and therefore not so attractive or dramatic, is still not in the main focus of research. Visualization of information has been, in the recent past, a helpful tool for comprehending the complex nature of human society. Since this complexity is growing exponentially, demand for different kinds of mediators and agents is essential.
The project uses two examples of culture financing, one in Serbia, and one in Slovakia. Comparative research through various information visualizations of different budget items and structures provides better insight into how micro and macro culture financial policies are functioning. In the project Visible Data - financing culture, graphic designers, web designers, programmers, sociologists, culture policies researches, artists and theorists collaborated. Designers and researchers came from Slovakia, Serbia and the Netherlands together with students from The Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Bratislava and The Academy of Arts, Novi Sad. The emphasis in the work with participants was on their critical thinking and their approach to the matter of visualization, meaning that there should be an awareness of how information visualization could be manipulated and misused.
The exhibition Visible data - financing culture was openedon the Nov 29th, 2010 at SULUV Gallery in Novi Sad. Exhibiting authors were Marcel Benčík (SVK), Marko Brkić (SRB), Alica Horváthová (SVK), Ondrej Jób (SVK), Vladan Joler (SRB), Olivia Solis Joler (CUB), Katarína Balážiková (SVK) and Martin Mistrík (SVK).
During this exhibition there was also a workshop leaded by Daniel Powers from studio Lust called Processing Visible Data at Academy of Art, University of Novi Sad. The participants were the students, graphic designers, new media artist and programmers from Novi Sad and Bratislava.
Organization and production: OPEN DESIGN STUDIO, Bratislava and
Institute for Flexible Cultures and Technologies – NAPON from Novi Sad.