By Christoph Grünberger
400 pages, hardcover, €68
Published by Niggli Verlag
niggli.ch

Data is traditionally defined as the facts and statistics we collect and the transmission of signals of information we use to make our decisions. The Age of Data: Embracing Algorithms in Art & Design presents the outlook of this information as the paintbrush for ways in which art can be created, perceived and evolved. Author Christoph Grünberger examines the definition of art through exploring digital media in two- and three-dimensional spaces. From exploring the heart of cybersecurity to renderings that push into 3-D spaces via projectors, Grünberger investigates the stories of various artists who use this medium in unexpected ways, like using algorithms to enhance theater technology, reinterpret creation stories in Greek mythology and create mass-brand content consumption.

As we see the emergence of NFTs and content creation in AR and VR, The Age of Data showcases the impact of data on, for example, how a moon landing may be experienced with new technology and highlights our emotional responses to data as music, interpreted through beautiful patterns and colors that translate into feelings. Readers turn the page through stories that do not always end as the data evolves and translates into light, sound and renderings that make cities come alive in new ways. The distance between 3-D natural and digital environments is the friction Grünberger’s book leaves us with, wanting to move out of the printed format to dive into the case studies: the simulations being written and new realities being performed. —Sabrina Hall