Data as Art

Curated to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bioinformatics Support Hub at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, the “Data as Art” exhibition invites visitors to explore the aesthetic potential of scientific data. This unique display challenges the conventional perception of data as purely objective, highlighting its capacity to inspire artistic expression and creativity.

“Data as Art” presents an array of data visualizations and representations that transcend their scientific origins, revealing the inherent beauty and interpretative depth within data. For example, the study of the territory boundaries of Savannah Sparrows created a plot resembling stained glass windows; the study of cell development during the first day of a zebrafish “reveals parallels between animal development and the blooming of a flower”; and researchers learning computational analytic methodologies encounter parallels with their own personal lives, as seen in the pieces “Ukraine Random Walk” and “Meandering Curves”.

The works featured in this exhibition are contributed by students, researchers, clinicians, and staff across the Yale campus who view data as a canvas for artistic exploration.

Curated by Terry Dagradi, Sofia Fertuzinhos PhD, Rolando Garcia Milian MLIS, Melissa Grafe PhD, Dana Haugh MLS, and Kaitlin Throgmorton MLIS