SPANG&LEI

Sensing Punggol is a community-engaged art initiative comprising two ◐ x ◑ interconnected parts, designed to involve the residents of Punggol in an exploration of their neighbourhood.

Part ◐ is a series of three workshops. Participants assembled hobby sensor kits to collect environmental data from Punggol, which they then translated into simple graphs. Everyday items like straws, clothes pegs, and balloons were creatively employed to craft visual representations of these graphs. In the final session, participants utilised electric paint to create "sound paintings" of Punggol, where each motif depicted a data point that resonated with their experiences. This innovative process enabled participants to establish a deeper connection to the locations where they gathered the data, as they could audibly perceive these data points. The translation of data figures into sensory outputs proved to be a profoundly evocative experience for the participants.

Through these artistic mappings of data, participants discovered that art could illuminate recurring patterns and previously unnoticed insights about their everyday environment.

Part ◑ saw the transformation of collected data sets into interactive Data Sculptures. Visitors to the Sensing Punggol exhibition could thus explore the stories and personal connections between Punggol residents and their surroundings. Each Data Sculpture drew inspiration from Punggol's spaces and places, the narratives shared by workshop participants, and natural elements such as air and sunlight.

From Data to Art

Acknowledging the integral role of data in everyday life, our goal was to establish a meaningful connection between data and the residents of Punggol. Beyond its numerical essence, data possesses intrinsic relevance within the local ecosystem. As artists, we utilised data as our creative medium to craft the Data Sculptures of Sensing Punggol. Through the artistic lens, participants discovered the beauty and aesthetic potential inherent in data, cultivating a heightened appreciation for its significance in shaping their neighbourhood around them.

Commissioned by National Arts Council under Arts in your Neighbourhood 2019.