Fuxin Liu
Gib – play with your small data
Gib is a remote interactive installation where people can play with their small data.
Nowadays, people are always talking about big data. Through the research, comparison and analysis of big data, commercial companies are trying to obtain greater economic benefits from it, and scholars hope to find more academic value. However, being constantly tracked and recording personal data will give people a feeling of being monitored, making people feel anxious and uneasy.
In this case, Gib is exploring the opposite of big data. The name comes from the reverse letter order of "big". Through the interaction with the installation, participants can play with the small data in their life. During this process, they can discover more interesting details about themselves. So that they are willing to explore and share tiny personal metrics which allow them to connect and laugh with each other.
In order to bring the audience a more interactive experience, the designer used the form of data physicalization to present small data. When designing this installation, she decided to choose the most basic structure and primary color, and use the material from daily life to make it. Thus, the installation is conveying a sense of simple and fun to the audiences, and it fits feature of the small data, which are "valueless" and straightforward.
The feelings that big data and small data gives to people are completely different. Big data expresses the cold facts, while small data is telling a warm story about humanity. Nowadays, young people often feel a lot of peer pressure when looking at the big data and social media: they may be depressed because our GPA is lower than the average; they may lack confidence because their stature is not as good as others; they may be disappointed because of the lower income. People compare and despair. These are because people only focus on the universal value and want to be success in others' eyes. Through the collection of small data, they will find that life is not only GPA, beauty, sports rankings, professional status and income, all these metrics limit their human potential.
Small data allows people to laugh at themselves. These things may not have universal value, but they are the unique part of our lives. Maybe one's academic ability is weaker than the average, but they have a middle finger that is much longer than the average value; maybe one's figure is not perfect, but they have more reliable friends and can can chat with them every day, which gives them more courage to fight with life. Small data can help people to discover more details in their lives.
People can interact with the installation directly or remotely. When visit the website of Gib, it will show how to measure your small data. Follow the instruction, measure and enter the data into the page, it will direct the audience to the live stream page. On this page, audiences can see how the installation is moving according to their data. It will also show the same type of data from Fuxin, who is the designer of this installation. So the audiences can see what is different between their data and the data from the designer. After the installation moving back to the original position, the web page will turn into the next type of data automatically. Audiences can also check the list of the small data and other information about Gib through the navigation bar on the top.
In this specific period of COVID-19, when most of the people are isolate at home, the form of live stream and remote interaction can bring more emotional connection with others. This is also a good time to slow down the lives, to appreciate and observe the small absurd details of life that were unknown before.
About
Fuxin is a creative designer, traveller and photographer based in New Jersey. Her main focus is to explore the relationship between individuals and universal values. She likes to make projects that are tangible and playful, and bring connection to reality and the virtual world.
Fuxin is a creative designer, traveller and photographer based in New Jersey. Her main focus is to explore the relationship between individuals and universal values. She likes to make projects that are tangible and playful, and bring connection to reality and the virtual world.