龍星如/周姜杉

IC （Iris and Cedar） is an artist group based in Beijing who are interested in the relationship between data and perception， and subjective narrative embedded in data. Their work combines elements of computer science， visual art and story telling， using real-world generated data to create multi-sensory experiences.

IC have been exhibited internationally at venues including Victoria and Albert Museum（London UK）， Royal College of Art （London UK）， Watermans Art Centre （London UK）， OCT-LOFT Art Terminal （Shenzhen China）， Audi City Beijing （China）， and Power Station of Art （Shanghai China）. Their recent work is interactive archival data visualisation about Chinese contemporary art， the CCAA WOW， presented at Power Station of Art， Shanghai.

As curators，they co-curated \"Information in Style： information visualisation in the UK\" at the CAFA Art Museum in 2013.

Iris has a master degree from the Royal College of Art， and Cedar has a MA degree from the Central Saint Martin Collage of Art and design， University of Arts London and a MFA from the Goldsmiths Collage， University of London.

IC （龍星如和周姜杉） 是一個基于北京的藝術組合。他們的研究方向為數據與感知的關系及數據體驗下的主觀敘事。他們的作品涉及視覺藝術、計算機工程和敘事，使用實時獲取的數據創(chuàng)建多感官體驗。

IC的作品在國際范圍展出，其中包括英國維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館、倫敦的Waterman藝術中心，深圳的華僑城OCT藝術中心，奧迪CITY北京，上海當代藝術博物館。2014年IC創(chuàng)作了中國當代藝術互動數據可視化作品， WOW CCAA， 展出于上海當代藝術博物館（PSA）。2013年，IC聯合策劃了中國第一個數據藝術展覽，《信息新浪潮——英國信息可視化藝術設計展》，展出于中央美術學院美術館。

龍星如擁有英國皇家藝術學院的碩士學位。周 姜杉擁有英國中央圣馬丁藝術與設計學院及倫敦大學金匠學院的碩士學位。

LZH： We now look at the notion of “information”in such a broad way； even primitive records of knot tying hold a sense of graphical beauty. The rise of computer science has given information a new kind of status. We could hardly say that “information is beautiful”before the digital era， because it used to be purely statistical and fairly rigid. Now we are witnessing a different scenario； could you introduce the moment when information became visualised， or became a focus of aesthetic works？

C： The notion of visualising information could be dated back to cave paintings. However， information visualisation has only become a way of visual representation since the birth of cartography. Different from documenting information with semiotics or images， the map was invented to provide a brand new angle to “see”the world. The map gives you a bird’s eye view， to experience something that can never be touchable on the Earth. It’s the same with info-graphics； Florence Nightingale’s rose diagrams are great early examples of combining information and visuals. Information visualisation， in its observation of reality， its perspective and expression， is very similar to many other artistic processes.

L： The history of data visualisation can be succinctly summarised as our journey to explore and describe to others those phenomenons with untouchable， invisible boundaries； for instance， Michael Florent van Langren’s early graphs of statistical data， early compass maps， the moment when the abstract notion of “l(fā)ongitude” became real， where all visual transformations of the untouchable geographical data to came life. Florence Nightingale and Francis Galton’s graphs were， on the other hand， visual transformations of sociological phenomena. The dawn of the computer age and digital storage provided a new kind of expressive medium， or mediation tool – the data， somehow opening doors for those who sought different aesthetic tools and design methodologies in this particular historical period.

LZH： Very interesting answers. We ought to re-discover ways of reading data， and build new understandings from these new ways of reading. What kind of dimensions does data visualisation provide？

L： Clouds of data and fragmented， scattered pieces of information do not construct meaning directly. Data visualisation’s role here is a journey of re-discovering these contents. Data visualisation is not only an analytical tool， it also provides a canon for narratives which include deconstruction or reconstruction of conventional， linear narratives， through creative composition of sensational experiences of narrative.

C： Data visualisation can be viewed as a process of mapping invisible data to visual languages， further concluding phenomenon that are external to sensational experience， such as visual， audio， or other types of haptic experiences. Data visualisation itself， according to the nature of its approaches， can also be categorised as static， moving （such as animation）， or interactive. Interactive visualisation is becoming more and more significant in this field of study today. When audiences can closely observe these invisible phenomena and data， and even provide input or intervention， they will also become relational and have impacts on the data. In this way the infinite data feedback loop starts.

LZH： Your recent project is the archival visualisation for CCAA （China Contemporary Art Award） and Mr Uli Sigg. Could you introduce this project to us？ Audiences saw a presentation of systematically moving images， texts and videos – are there any more details of the project that you’d like to share？ Will this project carry on？ And will data visualisation help people better comprehend information？

L： CCAA Tunnel is composed of two parts： a looping seven-minute sequence of programmed frameworks， and a visitor interaction mechanism called “CCAA Now”， projected onto the surface of a fabric curtain covering both sides of a 50-metre-long corridor in the Shanghai Power Station of Art. While the physical corridor links different spatial sections of the exhibition， the piece enlarges this central linking area into a virtual， 3D space where visitors can walk into and interact with.

The archive of fifteen years of Chinese contemporary art is translated into four visual movements with embedded narratives. Archive contents， including texts， images and videos， are simultaneously components of visual forms and representational information addressing four analytical aspects. The four frameworks construct a storyline of the show： “impression”， “birth”， “time”， and “award”， each addressing one aspect of China’s first contemporary art award， of which winning works from 1998 to 2014 are exhibited in the space.

C： In most situations， the purpose of data visualisation is not necessarily to help people comprehend information. Instead， data visualisation， in the same way as other forms of artistic expression， could be a way of providing a different approach to a question. This new angle can provide audiences with a unique and less generic experience， which may inspire their exploration of a question， and which might also lead to new understandings of the same phenomena.

Our long-lasting interest and research direction lie in the relationship between data and experience， especially the subjective narrative embedded in data experience. The CCAA 15 Years project is our first attempt in visualising， or “experientializing”art archives. We found this project very exciting and inspiring. It brought up some new research points， such as the social contextualisation of data and modes of experience in exhibition settings. We are currently working with Chronus Art Centre in establishing a research project on archivisation of new media art， and experiences of this archive.

LZH： Experience is essential to the reading of information. I’m interested in your attitudes towards interactivity. Do you think， in some cases， interactive methods or interfaces set boundaries that can limit the imagination？

L： Interactive methods are “l(fā)inguistic transformations” to me； they are essentially processes of translating between information and experience. The translator， however， can be precise， or thoughtless. David Rokeby set a precedent for interactive art when he first translated body movements into sound fields. It was the inception of an exhilarating era of interactive art. However， as more and more people today have developed a fundamental sense of how interactive processes are composed of transformations of various data and signals， the magic of“interactivity”demystifies itself. Against this backdrop， the definition of “good interaction”is now less about technology， and more about the precision， reasoning and beauty of the “translation”. Good “translation”s（interactivity） ought to be haptic， resonating and contextually sensible， and not mystical or pretentious. In terms of interfaces， I believe the definition is more open； for instance， in Tino Sehgal’s work， participants usually become the “interface”through which information flow is carried from mouth to mouth. A media artist with an open mind will create “interfaces”nor rules that open up one’s imagination， as oppose to limiting it.

C： The process of data visualization has its roots in databases. In computational science， a database is defined as a structured collection of data. Many new media objects do not tell stories； they don’t have a beginning or end； in fact， they don’t have any development， thematically， formally or otherwise， which would organise their elements into a sequence.

Viewing and researching on a database has significant differences from reading a novel or watching a film， due to its detachment from linear narratives. From data sourcing， analysing and representing， each step will have an impact on the final output. I personally think that introducing the viewer’s subjective experiences into each of these steps is the most interesting and challenging part of data visualisation.

LZH： There are numerous ways of transforming or visualising information. I remember in one of the exhibitions you curated， there was a really striking and touching piece developed by British artist Luke Jerram. He used 3D printing to create a sculpture – a seismogram of the Tōh(huán)oku earthquake rotated through 360 degrees. Does this visualisation veil the reality of the earthquake itself？ Or does it provide an alternative approach for the audiences to intervene and contemplate reality？ Do data art and data visualisation generate alternative realities？

C： No. Artistic expression can be described as generating a reality. In many cases， an artwork provides one or multiple angles to view that reality. When someone is attracted by an artwork’s perspective or expression， he or she might notice things that slip their usual attention， or even observe things from a brand new perspective. This conceptual inspiration might lead to changes of views， or to further actions. In this sense， this artwork sends a message to the future.

L： It depends on the framing when we discuss data visualisation. As a scientific analytic tool in fields such as astronomy， physics or biology， data visualisation is intended for the delivery of scientific precision； it is by nature responsible for a factual reality. However， even in the spectrum of science， due to the differences or uncertainty of data sources， analytical principles or visualising methods， data visualisation is still far from a perfect representation of “the reality”.

However， when we move to the notion of data visualisation as art， we focus more on how – as Cedar has pointed out – data visualisation provides angles to view reality. In essence， it is similar to other instances of creative processes. If there is one “reality”to be explored， it is the reality of the current society – a society largely digitalised， a society in which information is a mass phenomenon， in a more liberated way. Medieval art was echoing with the reality of a theological society， and Renaissance thinking reflected on a society of humanism， while data art – or all sorts of digital art– communicates ideas of a society of pervasive information， of internet tribalism， of technological phenomena suffused in people’s lives. Of course， we do believe that a new kind of “reality”will somehow be born from this background.

LZH： Does that mean creating a kind of alternative reality？ As oppose to reflecting on or replacing reality？

L： I think “to replace reality”is a bold statement. In fact， if we are to discuss the concept of “reality”， I think any mediated fact is re-constructed reality， sometimes “hyperreality” （see Jean Baudrillard）. Our artworks are more about extending new structures and envisioning new scenarios based on factual existence， which is data.

C： Every kind of media has its own way of representing the world. What databases showcase is a world with structure but without linear order. This is in huge contrast to conventional narrative which is based on cause-effect relationships and chronological narratives. Before data visualisation， the creator had the priority to design how the world is represented in his work. However， when realtime calculation and computation are involved in artworks， audiences are then empowered with the same right to choose， to navigate， even to update an artwork， just the same as the creator himself.

信息的模樣

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李振華 X 龍心如、周姜杉 （ L=龍心如 | C=周姜杉）

李振華：今日人們對信息的看法有著很大的改觀，哪怕是過去古人的繩結、刻度等，都還有被發(fā)現圖形化的美感，信息借助著電腦的興起，開始呈現出一種很特別的情況，我想之前我們很難說信息是美的，因為信息就是一些數字或是刻板的數據存在。你們能否介紹一下信息什么時候開始成為了圖形，什么時候開始成為美學工作的關注點？

C：我想信息成為圖形可以追溯洞穴壁畫。但信息圖形作為一種視覺表達方式，我覺得地圖是一個開始。與單純的用符號和圖形去記錄和保存信息不同，地圖更多的是為了描述特定的現實，并提供一個不同的視角。地圖就好像是脫離人類身體，安置在天空中的第三個眼睛，人們通過這個眼睛看到平時難以感知的內容。信息圖表在這方面也是一樣，南丁格爾的玫瑰圖就是很好結合信息和視覺的案例。在創(chuàng)作地圖或者是圖表的過程中，對現實的觀察，提出新的視角和表法方式，和很多藝術創(chuàng)作的過程是相似的。

L： 從信息成為圖形角度來說，信息可視化的歷史可以被看作人類對“邊界不直接可感知”的事物，使用直接視覺語言（到后來多重感官）描述的轉化過程。比如說Michael Florent van Langren 的早期地理統(tǒng)計圖、早期的航海圖，是對空間距離的視覺轉化，南丁格爾 和高爾頓 的圖例則是對社會問題的視覺轉化。計算時代的到來和電子儲存的興起則為信息成為美學工作關注點提供了契機。傳統(tǒng)藝術設計領域在特定歷史時期遇到了表達瓶頸，信息廣布的現實則提供了新的媒材和“工具”。

李振華：很有趣的回答，一方面我們需要從新認識數據的閱讀方式，同時通過這些閱讀的方式理解認知。數據視覺化所提供的是一個怎樣的緯度？

L： 大面積的數據和片段化的信息本身很難直接構成意義，而數據藝術提供的維度在我看來是對這些內容的重新發(fā)現。信息可視化并不只是分析的工具，也是在提出新的敘事，這種敘事包括對傳統(tǒng)線性結構的打破和重構、以及在感官體驗上的重新組合。

C：數據可視化可以認為是把不可見的數據，映射（map）到視覺上，將那些超越人們感知能力的現象納入到我們的視覺以及其他感官的范圍。數據可視化的類型根據不同的方面的側重，分為靜態(tài)的、動態(tài)的 （比如動畫）以及互動的。后者在今天也變得越來越重要。當人們可以實時的觀察曾經不能感知的現象，甚至給予輸入或介入時，人們便開始與這些現象產生了關系和影響。

李振華：你們最近的工作是幫助Uli Sigg先生的CCAA15年，介紹一下這個項目，因為觀眾看到的只是不同運動著的圖像和系統(tǒng)的呈現，這個項目會持續(xù)嗎？信息的圖形化會更好的幫助人理解知識嗎？

L：CCAA通道是CCAA十五周年紀念展的文獻可視化工程。它由兩個部分組成：包含四個章節(jié)的7分鐘可視化展示和現場觀眾二維碼互動系統(tǒng)。作品投影在上海Power Station of Art的三十五米通道兩側，形成“CCAA通道”。

在CCAA通道里，CCAA十五周年的歷史文獻被轉譯成四個視覺章節(jié)，文獻內容既是視覺形態(tài)的組成元素，也是交互的載體。觀眾通過二維碼可以對展場作品提交評價，觀眾評價會實時成為CCAA通道的一部分，并與歷史上CCAA評委對作品的評價并置。物理通道對展覽的各個空間進行銜接，而CCAA通道投影則創(chuàng)建一個3D的虛擬空間，觀眾可以進入，并與之對話。

C： 信息可視化的創(chuàng)作在很多情況下并不一定是為了幫助人理解知識。和其他的表達形式一樣，也可以是對一個問題提出不同的視角。觀眾可以從這個視角或者表達中得到一種不同的體驗。這個體驗可能會激發(fā)他們對一個事物的興趣，也可能會讓觀眾建立對一個事物更多的理解。

數據與感知的關系，及數據體驗下的主觀敘事，是我們的一個長期興趣點和研究方向。在CCAA15年的這個項目，是我們第一次在文獻可視化或者說體驗化的嘗試。我們發(fā)現這是一個非常有趣的經歷，而且很多的點都非常值得探索的，比如說社會語境和感知方式等。我們正與上海新時線新媒體藝術中心合作建立實驗室探討新媒體的文獻記錄和體驗的課題。

李振華：體驗是一種閱讀的必須，我很關心體驗的交互方式，很多時候交互方式或者界面也局限了想像力。

L： 交互的方式在我看來是一種語言的轉譯，和翻譯一樣，有精妙者也有粗糙者。David Rokeby 最早把身體動作轉譯成聲音環(huán)境時，確實開辟了一種令人激動的時代。然而到今天，絕大多數人都能意識到，所謂交互就是不同形式的數據和訊號之間相互轉化的實質時，好的交互便不僅在于技術，也在于這種轉譯是否合理而精妙。在我看來，這種轉譯需要是可被感知的、可有共鳴的、可符語境的，而非故弄玄虛的、故作高深的。至于交互的界面，可以有多種理解。比如大家都熟悉的Tino Sehgal ，在他的作品中，人是媒介、人也是交互的界面。一個想法開放的媒體藝術家，他/她創(chuàng)設的界面或者規(guī)則，應當是放開而非局限想像力的。

C：數據可視化的創(chuàng)作是從數據庫開始的。在計算機科學中，數據庫被定義為有結構的數據集合。每一個數據都是獨立的，沒有開始，沒有結尾，每一個元素也沒有什么重要性的區(qū)別。對數據庫的觀看與定位，同閱讀故事或者是看電影是非常不同的。數據庫的建立從搜集、整理到呈現，每一步都會影響到最終的結果。我個人認為如何能夠把體驗者的主觀經驗和體驗帶入到每一個環(huán)節(jié)是最非常趣而且富于挑戰(zhàn)性的。

李振華：信息的轉化有很多種，你們之前展覽中介紹的那位英國藝術家（Luke Jerram：英國數據藝術家）很打動我，他將地震的圖形三維打印了出來，形成一個小小的雕塑，這一轉化是否遮蔽了真實，或者讓觀者更希望介入和理解真實本身呢？信息藝術和視覺化是否也在塑造另外的真實，并通過轉化獲得新生？

C： 任何一個藝術表達都很難說是去再現一個全面的真實。作為一個作品來說，很多情況是提供的一個或者是多個看待真實的角度。當一個觀眾被一件作品的視角或表達所吸引，開始去關注一個平時可能不會去關注的事物，或者從一個從來沒有過的角度來看待一個事物。這樣認知上所造成的改變可能會影響到他的某些看法甚至是行為。從某種意義上來說，這個作品所提供的信息影響了未來。

L： 信息可視化作為科學分析方法，無疑需要對真實本身負責，然而即使在科學語境中，也從未生成過在數據來源、篩選法則、視覺化等方面，都完美詮釋“真實”的模型。當我們在藝術創(chuàng)作的語境中討論這個議題時，則更多地注重于就像Cedar所說的，提供回應社會現實的視角。從本質上來說，這和所有的藝術創(chuàng)作過程是一樣的。如果說一定有一種“真實”需要被討論，這種“真實”就是當下社會的數據化、信息化的現狀。中世紀藝術回應的是神學社會的真實，文藝復興藝術回應的是人本社會的真實，信息可視化則回應的是商業(yè)社會已經成型，當下信息彌漫的社會真實。真實的“新生”當然是被期待的。：）

李振華：也就是創(chuàng)造出一種另外的真實，而不僅僅在于反應或是替代真實？

L： 我覺得“替代真實”聽起來很大膽。要討論“真實”的概念的話，任何媒介化的事物都是真實的重構，有時甚至是“過度真實”（hyperreality）。我們的創(chuàng)作更多地是在真實元素（數據）的基礎上來延展新的結構和情境。

C： 每一個媒介都有它自己的呈現世界的方式。數據庫呈現的是一個只有結構但沒有順序的世界，這和傳統(tǒng)的、建立在因果聯系和先后順序基礎上的敘事是對立的。在數據可視化之前，世界如何被呈現是創(chuàng)作者預設的。當數據能夠被實時運算的時候，數據的體驗者便有可能被賦予與創(chuàng)作者同樣的選擇權利。