For my updated data art project, I chose to keep the piece more abstract to communicate the emotion around how peoples grow and divide. In this interaction, the mouse movement is connected to the passage of time. The shapes begin with less divisions and sharing colors, but as time moves forward, they grow larger, change color, divide, and clash.
Like the original piece, in the final frame, the black represents a Sunni majority, the blue represents a Shia minority and the pink sphere represents me. The pink is located separate from the rest, but just separated from the light blue shape. The minaret almost looks as if it is stretching to reach the pink sphere.
Where or (when) is your attention in drawn most in the piece? What is one word you are left with after viewing it?
I opened my project up again and tinkered with the layering, but found that this version looks the best, so I haven’t changed much for the final version, it seems like it communicated the message well as is!
When looking at your piece, the center is what draws me in as everything intersects making these abstract shapes! The more I look in the middle, the more stands out to me, such as the small purple center, and the blue being highlighted by the dark purple and black contrasting shapes. After viewing your project, all I can say is “wow”. The way it comes together really leaves me impressed!
My attention is most drawn towards the center of the cylinders as the four surrounding black cones hone in on the central point in a cool fractured pattern. However that is then followed up with traveling down the central blue cone to view your final pink point at the top of your piece.
How did the representative colors of Islam influence the coloring of this piece?
Good question! It seems like green is actually a recurring color in islam – I decided against using it to keep a more neutral stance on the separations of peoples. The colors were chosen more out of the attention they would draw.
I am most drawn by the movement and color changes in this piece! I was truly captivated once the mouse started moving.
I found it really memorable for how the shapes move when the mouse moves, along with the combination of shapes and color to create the illusion of different varieties of shapes.
To answer your question, my attention is mainly drawn towards the center of the piece, and it almost seems like the black shapes at the start are pointing towards the center. The one word I’m left with is astonishment. I’m super impressed that you were able to make such complex shapes with the basic primitives provided.
Do the shapes and colors at the beginning and end have significance to your piece and identity? (The star and butterfly)
The butterfly was an unintended accident – you might notice in the video the piece ends with the black portions stretching off the screen. However, I like the fact people see recognizable forms and can derive meaning from it. The star was intended to reflect a geometric form reminiscent of Islamic art. The colors you might notice all are a dark blue in the beginning and change color and separate into different sects by the end. The blue shape at the end was inspired my Islamic architecture and minarets. The changing background points to a dynamic, ever changing world where all these separations take place.
From the start, my eyes are first drawn to the center. That may be because the project starts with the singular shape and fans out from there. At the end though, the circles bring my eyes still admittedly to the center. I would describe the piece as impactful, honestly.
My attention is brought to the inner most purple circle due to the almost tunnel like feeling the circles creating. It might be helpful to remove that one circle to redirect the attention to the pink dot.
I am most drawn to the center I think because of your focal point and at the end I felt like a gained some knowledge and I could understand you more as a person.
Honest I love everything about this piece. The change in color and geometry is very smart and satisfying to look at. Really appreciate the amount of creativity and effort put into this piece! My response to the artist question is that the blue arrow thing first draw my attention, and after focusing on the blue thing and the center for a while, I was guided to look at the pink circle.