FlowStates (2024)
Real-Time Data Painting

"FlowStates" by Patrick Doan (Defasten) is a permanent data painting installation situated in the entrance hall of the ifo Institute, the prestigious Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich. This installation symbolizes the constant, dynamic change in our economy and society. The ifo Institute is renowned for its scientific excellence, notably recognized for its ability to generate, analyze, and interpret data. This expertise shapes the institute's work and ensures its ongoing impact across policy, business, and societal spheres. Built on the integration of data, technology, innovation, and interpretation, "FlowStates" is a data artwork that enables the ifo Institute to make economic developments perceptible in a new aesthetic dimension.

Team
Artist: Patrick Doan (Defasten, IG)
Playback System Development: Daniel Molnar (Function Store, IG)
Creative Direction: Dirk König
Production, Idea, Concept, Supervision: Kolja Pitz (Plateau Candy, IG)

Featured on Creative Applications: FlowStates - Real-Time Data Painting

Constructing Visual Narratives from Economic Indicators

"FlowStates" is an intricate data artwork that integrates six unique designs, each driven by algorithms that convert data streams from the ifo business climate—spanning industries from manufacturing to transport—into varied visual forms. These streams are dynamically updated with correlated Eurostat data, such as international trade figures, construction production volumes, and consumer trends in online services across Europe. The artwork is presented in a temporal sequence governed by a day and night cycle. Rather than adhering to traditional, static perspectives, the designs are captured from multiple viewpoints. This dynamic approach means that the artwork does not have a conventional beginning, end, top, or bottom, defying standard orientations and inviting viewers to engage with it from any angle—challenging and expanding the traditional boundaries of how art is perceived and experienced.

Nature's Code: Unveiling Complex Patterns Through Parametric Art and Data Streams

The visual designs of "Flow States" draw from the rich tapestry of natural forms, spanning the scale from the microscopic to the macroscopic. This naturalistic inspiration is distilled into a fluid visual language that seamlessly orchestrates the compositions. Reflecting the continuous flow of nature, these designs metaphorically represent the fluid dynamics of societal and civilizational transformations. Within this artistic framework, the visuals respond to real-time data streams, their motion, shape, speed, and color configurations dynamically shifting in reaction. This living interaction between art and data streams perpetually unveils new patterns, capturing the ever-evolving interplay between natural rhythms and human insights.