Data Garden

We all think we know what nature sounds like. It’s birds chirping, wind through trees, thunder echoing through the valley. These are all sounds that come from physical phenomena in nature, producing waves perceivable by the human ear: the need to mate, currents of air and water, static electricity. There are other phenomena in our natural environment, however, that produce information which we cannot perceive through our biological senses.

The course of human history has been moving towards advanced technology which enhances our ability to observe the world beyond these senses. As stone tools were a way for us to expand our physical strength, electronic tools expand our ability to perceive in real-time.

Digital technology has become a natural extension of our human senses. With it, we are not just gaining the ability to observe new information. We are revealing new patterns of creative expression. These revelations raise questions about our own place in a Universe filled with natural elegance. What is the creative force of the Universe? Is the force that inspires a human to write poetry the same as that which inspires a plant to grow in a particular way?

The musical compositions on Quartet were generated by the electronic impulses produced by four tropical plants. This data, interpreted by humans with the help of computers, has been employed to organize sound into beauty perceivable by the human ear. While the means of producing this beauty can be described in technical terms, the natural creative force generating this experience is less apparent.

We invite you to explore Data Garden: Quartet while examining your own views on the source of its creation.