ABOUT

Datapoiesis is a 18 month project  supported by Compagnia di San Paolo, through its program “ORA! Produzioni di cultura contemporanea”. The project takes shape from the observation of  a new phenomenon which analyzes a peculiarity of our times: the capability of data and artificial intelligence to bring something new into existence, as an augmented sensitivity to the phenomena of our globalized world.

Data and artificial intelligence are the engine of global economy, but they also arew the new existential border of the human beings. In world where data and computation modify our physical reality and our relations, art can helps us to reposition ourselves, and can hence have a revolutionary role in stimulating new social, economical and political opportunities.

Moving from these considerations Datapoiesis brings into the world datapoietic objects. They are new art and design objects (furniture, wearables, gadgets and devices for private and public spaces, sculptures and installations for public space…) using big amounts of data to make human beings able to experience complex phenomena. From the most extractive business of the planet, data and computation become a privileged space to think, share, discuss, take responsibility and participative action, bringing together indivisuals and societies.

The project occurs within and around the Fabriche ex Olivetti, in synergy with the regeneration process initiated by the group of entrepreneurs that created ICONA . In this historical sight, Datapoiesis symbolises a new wave of Made in Italy “data-driven” where IoT, Big Data and AI can lead not only to efficiency gains, but also to poetry and sense-making, meeting the cultural and psychological challenges brought about by the Fourth industrial revolution.

DATAPOIETIC OBJECT

Datapoietic Objects are objects whose essence and character depends on Data and Computation.

They are not only technical artifacts, but also cultural and existential ones, as they dive deep into contemporary culture, human perception and understanding – creating new opportunities for social imagination

OBIETTIVO

OBIETTIVO is the first datapoietic object.

It is a lamp animated by data, that will not stop lightening until the world extreme poverty level falls below 500,000 people. It works as a red alarm that will keep us aware and awake pulsating the data rhythm. When there will be a more just and balanced distribution of resources and opportunities in the world, Obiettivo will finally turn off, allowing us to rest.

OBIETTIVO collects data about extreme poverty in the world from reliable global sources (UN, UNDP, World Bank, OECD, World Poverty Clock) and process it to monitor when extreme poverty in the world will fall below a certain threshold. This event, in fact, will announce the beginning of a new era for humanity, characterised by greater justice, dignity and broader
access to opportunities for all.

The artwork was acquired in July 2020 by the Farnesina art Collection: the contemporary art collection  of the Italian Ministry of Foreing Affairs and International Cooperation.

NEW RITUALS

Datapoietic objects are totemic objects designed to gather people around them, bringing an augmented sensibility about our planet’s complex issues into the public space. Their goal is to raise of new types of  awareness, knowledge, cooperation and shared action, allowing human being and societies to shape contemporary of rituals driven by and around data.

The first datapoietic ritual was realized in Turin at theWild Mazzini Gallery around OBIETTIVO. The data about poverty have become sounds, creating an immersive environment with the lights and music generated by the artwork. In this environment an “history of poverty” composed through data was performed by Salvatore Iaconesi. From the Year Zero to the present day, the numbers and the level of poverty have been analyzed in relation to historical crucial events that led to the progress of humanity.

In the ritual the extreme poverty dataflow becomes perceptible through the senses so that audience can “feel” data and numbers, not just read it.

TOWARD A DATAPOIETIC ENTERPRISE

How does look like a generative, economically sustaibabel organization whose mission is bringing Datapoiesis into the world ? What its ecosystems of services and p’roducts id made of?

OBIETTIVO inspired the design and the business model to conceptualize the first Datapoietic Enterprise.

The foundations of a new type of organization mixing art, data, science, design and innovation, have been laid along the through two innovative and collaborative educational programs:

• the conceptualization workshop Buildingd Scenario- that took place at art+b=love(?) festival,
• and the DATAPOIESIS FALL SCHOOL, that took place in the historical ex Olivetti buildings.

A SONG FOR CORONA

A Song for Corona is the second – unexpected – datapoietic artwork realized during the project.

Due to the pandemics, the last datapoietic event planned in Rome on February 2020 (see the calendar below) didn’t took place, as meny of cultural ebents in the world.

From this new global crisis, a new artwork was born. The data on the spread of the virus become A Song for Corona: a data-driven melody to follow in real time the evolution of the codvid-19 pandemia, from the first days of the infection.

TOUR

The Datapoiesis project has been developed in several decisive steps and topic events occurred throughout Italy – along festivals, international art fairs, talk, conferences, intensive workshop.

Below an overviews of the milestons event from the beginning to the end of the project.

—> APR 2019

DATAPOIESIS premiered at art+b=love(?) festival: collective exhibit + first presentation of OBIETTIVO; + workshop Building Scenarios + talk “Arte ed Economia, L’umanesimo industriale“

—> JUL 2019

OBIETTIVO acquired by Farnesina Art Collection, among others 20 contemporary art masterpieces

—> OCT 2019

OBIETTIVO Torino. Understanding Datapoiesis. First multiplier event during the Piemonte ContemporaryArt: solo exhibition of OBIETTIVO at WildMazzini Gallery + first datapoietic ritual (urban walk; perfoemance) + round table “Datapoiesis. Global Sense-abilities, data-driven urban ritual and poverty” at Circolo dei lettori in Turin.

—> NOV 2019

Datapoiesis Fall School + collective exhibit “Life and artifacts of the forst datapoietic enterprise”, at Fabbriche ex Olivetti (Ivrea). A 5 days workshop in which people from all over Italy and Europe – researchers, artists, designers, professionals and student-  collaborated in order to give shape at the first datapoietic enterprise and create form it a public exibition.

—> JAN 2020

OBIETTIVO Bologna: Datapoiesis in the City. Second multiplier event in Bologna , in the contaxt of ArtCity Program: solo exhibition of OBIETTIVO at ExChiesa San Pietro Martire + second datapoietic ritual + urban walk Gira la Cartolina + panel doscussion “Datapoiesis in the city. Bologna, data, urban welfare” at Kilowatt.

—> FEB 2020

OBIETTIVO Roma. Corona Edition. Third event planned at Fanesina Collection canceled becouse of pandemics: creation ofthe second datapoietic artwork “A Song for Corona”, a melody composed by the sonification of the coronavirus contagious data + urban event in the multiculgtural neighborhood of Torpiganattara.

PRESS

DATAPOIESIS received an impressive media coverage, from nationa and news paper magazines, radio online and on paper

CREDITS

DATAPOIESIS is a project supported by Compagnia di San Paolo, through its program “ORA! Produzioni di cultura contemporanea”.

Project Partners