Video
February 07, 2012
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On November 25th 2011, 35 Chicago strangers agreed to take part in Crossroads, a one day transmedia documentary based on their data. They each agreed to go somewhere they’d never been before and write a story about the day’s experience. Using custom software I visualized their GPS data and combined it with their individual narratives and portraits to create a collective story that reveals a hidden, one-of-a-kind pattern.

This project was done in collaboration with Gordon Kummel, David Pena, Jennifer Martinez, Rob Snihur and Paul Hertz.

Tags: data visualization data art gordon kummel jennifer martinez david pena paul hertz rob snihur design documentary

Photoset
February 07, 2012

Participant’s data was overlaid onto their portraits. Photography by Jennifer Martinez jennifermartinezcreative.com/

Photoset
February 07, 2012

The participant’s data was overlaid onto their portrait. Photography by Jennifer Martinez www.jennifermartinezcreative.com/

Photoset
November 01, 2011

We share the same space and time and yet our narratives are vastly different. This was the first time I had multiple people send me GPS data from their phone. I asked 20 people to turn their phone on anytime between noon and 4pm on October 29th essentially turning it into a tracking device. They could track themselves for 20 minutes or the whole four hours. 

It was thrilling to see if and how this disparate group of 20 people crossed paths. To uncover the hidden pattern of this micro community. No one in the project knew the other people participating. This was a test for a bigger version I plan to do in the next couple weeks and which will culminate in a gallery show, “One image: 50 Stories” in January. 

I plan to use a similar structure to my Peoplescape project, where I made a new friend every single day for a year. (Peoplescape365.com) Instead of me writing about each encounter I had with a new friend I will ask the people participating to write about their narrative. If you’re interested in being one of the 50 “life artists” reach out to me, MariaScileppi.com

Video
September 28, 2011
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Breaking it down
I’ve learned a lot about particle physics this past year thanks to my friend Rob. He’s a particle physicist at Fermilab which is just outside of Chicago and home to the Tevatron, the world’s second largest particle accelerator. I love the irony of having to use 4 miles of “track” in order to get the smallest particles known moving fast enough to smash them into even tinier particles! They’re looking for the Higgs boson.

Hanging out with Rob I would get impromptu lessons. Like the other day we were discussing the definition of an interaction. I’ve always believed even the smallest interaction with another person has an affect. I live that way. I make art that celebrates that principle. I fell in love with particle physics when I realized that concept holds true on a subatomic level.

A particle has had an interaction if there is a change. Interactions don’t have to mean touching, talking, speaking. When you’re walking past someone and you move slightly to the left so the other person has enough room on the sidewalk to pass comfortably, that’s an interaction.

It’s been proven that humans naturally mirror the facial expression of the person they observe, even if it’s for a split second. That’s a transfer of energy and that same concept is seen at the most fundamental level. When quarks and gluons interact, they take on the other’s characteristic. Particle physics sounds intimidating but actually, it’s based on familiar concepts. The concepts of how we relate to each other.

Rob and I decided to bike the ring and visualize it as a way to commemorate the 28 years the Tevatron has been tirelessly smashing atoms. It’s shutting down on September 30th, 2011.

Tags: data data visualization data data art Tevatron particle physics Fermilab Rob Snihur

Photoset
August 31, 2011
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We walked 60 miles in three days and raised over 50K for breast cancer research through the Susan G Komen foundation. Team Rosie’s Toes was made up of 18 family members and 3 awesome friends of family or “honorary Rumely” as we like to say.

It was an amazing experience, I had never pushed myself physically that hard. It’s good to see what your limits are. Despite doing everything wrong; trained for a total of 4 hours, wore brand new shoes and wasn’t good about stretching, I walked away without one blister. I actually felt left out that I couldn’t participate in the blister porn happening around me. 

I had a great time with all my cousins and aunts. Walking 8 hours a day gives you plenty of time to find your groove with everyone and connect one of one. I think I got quality time with each person -something very hard to do in our boisterous and big family. It was cool to see each other in a totally different capacity. To see each other in tough conditions.

I was surprised that it was actually much more emotionally grueling than I had anticipated. I would have long periods of time where I walked by my self. It was always more emotional to walk alone. Each neighborhood had their own signature way of participating. Mount Prospect holds a special place in my heart now.

I saw a Harley guy dressed from head to toe in pink spandex. Twin 60 something sisters dressed as boobs and taking pictures of people in between them. Sassy signs, “This is the worst parade ever!” to encouragement “Every blister helps a sister.” And a sign held by a women that said, “I just finished treatment yesterday. Thank you.”

At one point it was pouring rain and I was actually stalling in the porta potty; rereading the inspirational quote that was taped on the inside of the porta potty door, checking email. All of a sudden after two hours of miserable weather, the sun came out and it turned instantly nice. I was with the Thomas’ the whole last day.  The promise of margaritas and sitting kept us moving at a fast clip even through the two hours of rain.

We ended in Soldier Field to an uplifting talk set to music by an amazing doctor who is herself a survivor. t was a joyous celebration. I came home, ate chocolate and passed out!

Photoset
July 10, 2011

Lakes of Fire is a regional Burning Man camping weekend in Rothbury, MI. The heavily traveled ring is the edge of the lake where everyone camped. Several people took boats into the lake which are all the designs in the center of the circle. To keep the participants moving I inspired them with a scavenger hunt. Some of the ridiculous items included; funniest sign, bring back a Lakes of Fire “virgin”, nail clippers, best mustache and fax machine. There was actually a fax machine in someone’s tent! 

Video
April 27, 2011
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A day in the Life of the Chicago bike messenger community. I tracked 30 messengers, 30 hours after the blizzard of 2011. I wasn’t sure if I should postpone the group “painting” but as you can see, the snow did not slow them down. I used social media and word of mouth  to track down this community. I soon discovered the bike messenger bars in Chicago and made friends with the bartender. Within a couple days I went from not knowing a single messenger to have 30 new friends.

They let me into their world and for a few days I saw life through their eyes. In return I showed them a portrait of their community like they’d never seen before.

Thank you to Eric Gelehrter of Merkaba Productions for collaborating on the motion graphics and Brian Ellison for capturing street footage.

Soundtrack: “Zen and the Surveillance of Bicycle Messengering”(VoidWare) and “The Mysterious Hub Tour”(VoidWare) courtesy of Rod Richardsonis available at itunes.

Video
April 16, 2011

The Chiditarod is “probably the world’s largest costumed pub crawl/food drive.” It’s a spectacular event with outrageous costumes and a collective spirit to match. I gave out 30 tracking devices to 30 different teams. There were five different routes, each route included four mandatory pub stops. How do you shave off a few seconds of your time? Bribe the check point marshals. There are even  “sabotage guide lines.” Each team has to cross the finish line with 42 lbs of food to donate.

A special thank you to Eric Gelehrter of Merkaba Productions for collaborating on the motion graphics, Philamonjaro for coordinating the Media team, Anita Birsa for being the GPS Wrangler and Gordon Kummel for providing the “Self Contained Rear Projection Apparatus”, or SCaRPA used for showing the data at the after party.

Music: by The Kinks and The Velvet Underground

Tags: GPS art data data visualization data data art Living Brushstroke social Chiditarod

Photo
March 06, 2011
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The Bike Winter Art Show opening is Friday March 11th from 6-11. I’m showing a series of work including video and art prints from the bike messenger data I collected on February 4th. The data is rich, lots to work with. I am exploring narrative by layering video taken from the POV of Brian, a bike messenger along with the collaborative motion graphic and ambient sounds.  The group show is at the Chicago Urban Art Society.  Come check it out.

The Bike Winter Art Show opening is Friday March 11th from 6-11. I’m showing a series of work including video and art prints from the bike messenger data I collected on February 4th. The data is rich, lots to work with. I am exploring narrative by layering video taken from the POV of Brian, a bike messenger along with the collaborative motion graphic and ambient sounds.  The group show is at the Chicago Urban Art Society.  Come check it out.