Leaky Data, Leaky Water
Final Project
Major Studio Interface and Design for this Century
Abstract
WikiLeaks’ release of diplomatic embassy cables is in the process of transforming social, cultural, and political systems and the relationships comprising the individual elements of these systems. WikiLeaks did not just make visible faults in the system but also punctured our vision of the system as a whole. By releasing a constant stream of cables daily, Assange assures it. Despite this upheaval, most people have not read the actual cables.
By drawing an analogy between water and data, this project creates a physical exploration of the emergent properties of data in the form of a “fountain” that reads the cables and visualizes their frequency with water.
This fountain is a system of pipes, connected to form the phrase “History is a set of lies agreed upon.” When WikiLeaks releases a new cable to the public, a stream of colored water is released into the pipes, eventually leaking out of the holes and crevices. An LED screen below displays the title of the cable released.
Documentation
Presentation posted here.