Data Art: Patrick Doan’s “FlowStates” in the ifo Institute

Data expertise meets art.  The ifo Institute presents 75 years of expertise with economic data – its collection, analysis and interpretation – in the shape of the data artwork “FlowStates.” And it shows innovative ways of using this expertise to build bridges to society. The result? Forms, seemingly organic, in motion, constantly forming new patterns, flow in time with real data updates across a huge screen in the foyer of ifo’s main building. 

Viewers in front of a screen showing the forms of the data artwork.
Back view of a man, view on the screen of his computer showing data.
The visual forms of the artwork are composed of real research data.

The Beauty of Data

Colorful, but discreet, always in motion, seemingly without a beginning or an end – that is how data streams in the guise of abstract visual organisms currently move across the monitor at Poschingerstrasse 5. It is certainly not an everyday sight at the ifo Institute, where economic data tends to be cast in mathematical models and presented in tables, Excel charts, and text. And yet the “FlowStates” installation carries ifo’s DNA within it: It consists of six fixed data series of the ifo Business Climate Index, which are continuously updated and interwoven with data from Eurostat, such as figures on international trade on the European market or production volumes in the construction industry.  An algorithm converts the data streams into forms that are presented in a random temporal sequence, determined by a day and night cycle. The result is an interplay between the real flow of data and the corresponding visual translation into movement, form, speed, or color. 

“FlowStates” and the ifo Institute

Art is open to the processing of data – and the ifo Institute is open to art. “FlowStates” symbolizes the constant, dynamic change in our economy and society, just as ifo’s research takes up current trends in the economy and society, evaluates them and proposes new options in response. The locally created artwork has an impact, transcends geographical and disciplinary boundaries, and reaches an international audience through digital distribution – just like the Institute’s scientific findings. “FlowStates” underscores the Institute’s commitment to the future of economic research with big data. 

group picture of ifo scientist on the stairs at the conference in Basel
ifo focuses on data: Researchers from the institute at the VfS Conference on Big Data in Basel 2022.

For information about the artist, check out the story “The Creator of the ifo Data Painting”.

You can go to the artwork here: 

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