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Data by Design: Artistic Visions of Water Quality - Governors Island

  • Billion Oyster Project Nolan Park, Governors Island New York, NY, 10004 United States (map)

"Data by Design: Artistic Visions of Water Quality" aims to merge science and art to foster a deeper understanding of New York City's water quality issues. Using data from the Billion Oyster Project and Urban Swim initiatives, this event will enlighten participants about the importance of clean waterways and the impact of community-led efforts on urban water quality. The event theme, "Visual Currents: Art and Advocacy in Water Quality," emphasizes the flow of information between data and artistic expression, encouraging an exchange that educates and inspires action. It highlights the interconnectedness of New York City's waterways and its communities, visually narrating the story of water quality through art.

Participants will engage in hands-on art workshops using materials like yarn, shells, posterboard, and fabric to create visual representations of NYC's water quality data from the Community Water Quality collections. They will be guided to translate complex data into creative art pieces. A digital LED panel and physical display of professional data visualizations, such as the "Citizens Water Quality Testing Beach Towels, Queens + Brooklyn" 2019 by Cody Herrmann, will be featured. These custom beach towels illustrate 20 weeks of 2018 data measuring enterococcus levels, indicating the presence of combined sewage overflows (CSO). High concentrations of enterococcus suggest people should avoid the water. Green, yellow, and pink bands correspond to NYC Department of Health standards for swimmable water, with pink indicating poor quality. Every year, about 20 billion gallons of raw sewage and unfiltered stormwater flow into NYC’s harbor via CSOs. Another piece by Cody Herrmann, an LED pegboard representing citizens' water quality testing results, will also be showcased.

Crafting materials donated by MFTA, including yarn, shells, posterboard, markers, and fabric, will be provided for participants to create data visualization artworks, which will be displayed in Building 16 for a month or taken home. These examples will show how artists transform complex data into engaging and understandable visual pieces. Brief, engaging talks by Billion Oyster Project will highlight the importance of water quality and the role of art in science communication.

Hosted by Billion Oyster Project

Location: Nolan Park, Governors Island
Date:
July 13, 2024
Time:
10 - 3 PM

OPEN EVENT:
No registration